iGet My Second Chance
by OneHorseShay
Summary: Sequel to iCarly's Father. Carly thought getting with Freddie was hard, but saying and meaning I love you is harder. 30 years ago, another Shay faced the same problem. Creddie, Steven/Taylor Shay.  T rated Language/Violence.
1. Chapter 1

iGet My (Second) Chance

By OneHorseShay

Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue. I mean it, don't sue.

Author's Note: It is really me, OneHorseShay bringing you the sequel to iCarly's Father. My deepest thanks to Snapplelinz for publishing my first story. You can show your appreciation by reading and reviewing Snapplelinz's stories. Also my thanks to all the readers (that including you reading this right now) that read took the time to review and read my story.

Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flanigan as Colonel Steven Shay

Special Guest Star Ariana Grande as Taylor Faye Dorfman

Special Guest Star Elizabeth Gillies as Ruby Lynn

Special Guest Star Robbie Amell as Young Steven Shay

Chapter 1

A soft buzzing noise emanated from Carly's digital clock on her nightstand on Monday morning. Carly stifled a yawn and brushed back her hair out of her face as she sat up in bed. She turned off her alarm as she got out of bed then headed for her bathroom. As any typical teenager, she would usually dread Mondays, but not today. As she began her morning ritual of getting ready for the day, Carly Shay couldn't help but smile knowing how special and possibly nerve racking on how the day was going to turn out.

This was the first day that she and Freddie Benson would be out in public as a couple; being 'Creddie' as their fans affectionately called them. They had kept their budding relationship secret when they went back to school on Wednesday and didn't officially announce to their fans on Friday's iCarly, but the fact that her father and Sam wore Penny T's with the message CREDDIE SHIPPER set the message boards on fire for the entire weekend. Some were happy, some were angry, but most were just shocked and none of the trio had made any posts to answer any questions.

She had remembered a particular posting from a major fan forum that brought a smile to her face from some poster named Snapplelinz: "Holy chizz! Mr. Shay and Sam are wearing 'Team Creddie' shirts! Does this mean what I think it does? Creddie ftw :D" It was a strange, but comforting feeling that people she didn't even know were rooting for her and Freddie to make it as a couple. Carly snorted out a laugh as she remembered giving into the temptation and reading a fan fiction from the same poster about her and Freddie. She thought the poster may be right on some level: maybe she and Freddie did share some bond. Carly could only wonder what that poster could write if she knew of the web-hostess' Christmas Angel Mitch.

After finishing dressing for the day she went downstairs to grab some breakfast before heading off to school.

"Hey dad," she greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.

Colonel Steven Shay was preparing breakfast at the stove and Spencer eagerly waiting at the kitchen table. "Morning kiddo, have a good night?"

"Yeah, slept like a baby," she answered as she took a seat at the end of the table.

"So you cried all night and wet yourself?"

"Dad?" Carly asked horrified.

Shay chuckled as he brought over breakfast for his children. "That's what babies do sweetie. They cry and wet themselves."

Carly thought about it for a moment, before replying, "That's true. I remember Ginger Fox's baby boy. He was a distance peeier."

Shay grinned, "So was Spencer."

"Hey!" the artist shouted defensively from his seat.

Shay laughed out loud before replying. "You were and it was funny… when you did it to your mom, not to me."

Spencer replied annoyingly, "Don't joke about urine. We're about to eat."

Shay nodded his head as he sat down to eat. "Good point."

Just as they started to eat, there was a knock at the door. Carly was first up from her seat and heading to the door. "I got it," she finally spoke when she was in the middle of the living room. She opened to door to see a grinning Freddie apparently quite ready for school with his backpack strap across his chest.

"Hey," he whispered with a smile on his lips.

"Hey," she replied just as quietly with a grin and leaned against the edge of the door.

He put his hands in his jean pockets and rocked back and forth on his toes and heels. "Can I come in?"

Carly shook her head. "Oh, yeah, sure."

"Thanks," he replied as he stepped past Carly and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. She turned and hooked her arm around his and led him to the kitchen.

"Morning," Freddie greeted the Shay family with a smile as he stopped at the end of the kitchen table while Carly took her seat. She immediately went back to eating her breakfast before it got cold.

"Morning Freddie," Spencer called out between bites of his waffles.

"Morning Mr. Benson," Shay echoed after his son. "Do you want anything?" Shay offered as he motioned to some of the leftover breakfast.

"No thank you, sir. I just ate."

Shay smile and nodded as he shoveled another mouthful of food in his mouth.

Between bits of his waffles, Spencer asked, "So, you're going to let people know you're dating? I mean for certain this time?"

Carly nodded hesitantly. "Yes."

Shay grinned as he interjected, "That's kind of sad from one perspective: Freddie's no longer the most eligible bachelor at Ridgeway."

"Dad?" Carly nearly shouted.

"Just kidding," he replied then started laughing.

It was pleasant, if not quiet ride to school after picking up Sam. Carly looked in the rearview mirror and noticed how Freddie and Sam still traded uneasy glances as they sat on the opposite sides in the backseat. The tentative truce between the pair had been holding for about the last week. Sam had been probing with mild remarks towards Freddie late last week and into the weekend. Some had been allowed without response, but others Freddie gave right back and he was not holding back with his remarks. Carly realized it would take time for them to find a new balance to her best friends' relationship.

The SUV pulled up to the curb in front of Ridgeway. Spencer turned slightly in his seat to look at the trio. "Okay teens, I'll see you this afternoon."

Sam was the first to jump out of the vehicle. "Later Spencer," Sam called out and headed straight for the school entrance.

Carly and Freddie were a little more hesitant as they stepped out from the passenger and back seat respectfully from the SUV. "See you this afternoon. Love ya," Carly called out to Spencer as she walked away from the vehicle.

Just before the reached the entrance to Ridgeway, Freddie asked with concern evident in his voice, "Are you ready?" He just looked at her with a small smile on his face.

Carly blinked as she was surprised and comforted by the question. He was giving her an out in making their relationship public that would leave no doubts in people's minds. Over the weekend she had confided to him that she was afraid people would just think that she was just repeating what she did after the accident and that she didn't really care about him. She feared he would believe the same thing. He responded that night by holding her until she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder.

She reached for his hand and laced her fingers with his. The brunette whispered, "I'm ready."

"Good," he answered with a smile and the pair entered Ridgeway hand-in-hand.

_Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone! All in all it's just another brick in the wall. All in all you're just another brick in the wall._

Steven Shay pulled his pillow over his ears to block out the loud music blaring from the side of his bed, but quickly gave up on it. He blinked open his eyes and brushed his dark locks out of his face to see his clock/radio and the red lighted display time of 7:30 AM May 1980.

"Damn," Steven swore when he saw the time. He had a good mind to turn off the radio and roll right back over to sleep. He was just about to do that until he heard shouting from downstairs. "Get up Steven! You have to get to school!"

Steven groaned at the sound of his old man yelling. School started in about a half an hour and he was still in bed. He sat up and ran his hands through his hair to pull his hair behind both his ears. He let out a tried breathe and threw off the sheet to get up. He walked over the mess of clothes and other items that littered his room, trying to avoid stepping on anything with his bare feet. A pig sty would be an understatement about the condition of his room.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, he came back to find a clean pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt in a mess he called a closet. He threw on his clothes then ran downstairs to grab a quick breakfast.

His father was already at the kitchen table eating breakfast with one hand and reading the paper in the other.

Steven popped a piece of bread in the toaster then grabbed a bowl out of a cabinet to he poured himself some cereal. He grabbed some orange juice out of the refrigerator and poured himself a glass just as the toast finished. He grabbed his food and took a seat across from his father. Steven brushed some hair behind his left ear as he put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth with his other hand.

"When are you going to get a haircut?" Greg Shay asked his son with a hint of annoyance.

Steven rolled his eyes and flippantly remarked, "When I think I need one."

The older Shay sighed and shook his head and turned his attention back to his paper.

Steven glanced at the kitchen clock and displayed 7:45. He took his last bite of toast and dashed for the door to the garage. "See ya pops," Steven called out as pulled on his black Perfecto motorcycle jacket from the coat rack and slipped out the door.

Steven pulled up into the school parking lot on his '77 Harley Davidson with about ten minutes to spare. He turned off the ignition and ran a hand through his hair to straighten it out from the wind blowing it every which way on is way to school. He pulled off his book bag tied to the back of his seat and made his way to the main entrance of his high school.

He gave a quick wave to two of his friends, Glenn and Ruby as the couple sat on the hood of Glenn's '76 Charger. The pair didn't pay him much attention as the two seemed to be too busy trying to devour each other's faces. He just chuckled at the two 'lovebirds' antics. He found how deeply in love those two were quite comical.

Steven didn't give a second thought of seeing a brunette carrying on her back a beat up old military backpack with paintbrushes sticking out from the sides and with a yellow bandana tied around her head pass in front of him on her way to the front door of the school.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ridgeway High School

September 2011

Carly and Freddie walked hand and hand to her locker, passing several students that quickly paid attention, to them, an unusual sight. They let go as she stopped at her locker and he headed for his locker. Sam had beaten them to her locker and was starting up her crock-pot for her after school meal. Carly noticed that Sam and Freddie exchanged figurative glances as he passed her.

Carly took a calming breathe and asked, "Are you two okay?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Me and Fredweirdo are—dealing. Don't worry about us."

Carly tilted her head to the side. "Sam, you two are my best friends. I'm going to worry about you."

Sam closed her locker then looked back to the brunette. "Best friend and boyfriend now. It's different now and I don't want to force you to take sides. It's not fair to you."

"I've already taken a side: both sides. I don't want you to fight or be angry towards one another or worst hate each other."

Sam let out an exasperated breathe. "Don't mediate this time Carls. We'll deal with it, okay?"

Carly swallowed nervously and nodded her head. "Okay, I'll stay out of it."

Wendy walked up behind Carly accompanied by several other girls. The redhead asked in a cheerful tone, "So is it true? You and Freddie are together now?"

Carly turned around to face the posse. She smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, me and Freddie are together."

Wendy asked excitedly, "When did you two get together?"

Kathy asked right after, "It's that day you two skipped right?"

Before Carly could answer either of the girl's questions, another girl in the crowd called out, "How long is it going to last this time?"

Carly blinked and face immediately went to a neutral expression. "What?" she whispered hesitantly.

Wendy waved off the posse over her shoulder. "Ignore her. You're lucky; if you waited any longer someone would have snatched him up."

"I'd love for Fredward Cullen to sneak into my bedroom," Kathy commented with a grin and nudged one of her friends and winked.

Carly swallowed down nervously as she realized how close she had came to really losing Freddie to someone else if he had really tried to let her go. The warning bell then rang out interrupting her thoughts.

"Well, see you later Carly," Wendy bid a goodbye as she and her friends headed to class.

Carly turned back to Sam and she must have immediately recognized the look from the brunette. "Carls, ignore them. They don't know what they're talking about."

"I let Freddie walk away before. I could have told him he was wrong the first time."

Sam gave her a somber expression. "I didn't have to mention foreign bacon and he could have ignored me. We can't change the past Carly, but you're together now and happy. Isn't that what's important?"

Carly gave a slight smile and nodded in agreement a few moments later.

Sam motioned with her head. "Let's go before we have to hear Ms. Briggs yell like a Banshee."

May 1980

Taylor Dorfman smiled as she looked at her half finished painting as she made her way to her locker. She just wanted to grab her lunch and sit outside because it looked like it was going to rain. If she was lucky, she'd get to see a rainbow before the day was out and maybe give her some inspiration for another painting. The brunette reached her locker and looked back down at her painting one more time. She thought it was turning out really well and that brought a bigger smile to her face. She just knew that her father would love it. She just had to finish up around the eyes and touch up the hair of the woman's portrait.

Just as she was opening up her locker, she caught a taller, heavy set teenage boy from the corner of her eye approach her from the left. She barely gave him a glance realizing it was Evan. She hated to think ill of anyone, but she knew he was a particularly mean person towards others and suspected that he even picked on her little brother, but Barry wouldn't admit anything to her. So quite frankly, she just didn't like Evan.

"Hello Dorkman," the curly haired boy sneered.

She looked at Evan with a quizzical look. "It's Dorfman. It's German," she replied in a soft voice then turned back to her locker to put up her picture and retrieve her lunch.

Apparently he took an interest in the painting in her hand. "Ah, what a pretty picture," he commented then grabbed the end of the painting.

A sudden sense of panic filled her and she pulled back on the canvas in the hopes of stopping the larger boy from taking it away from her. Evan in turned reared back his right arm then slapped her hard across her left cheek. She tried to catch herself, but side of her head slammed against the side of her locker slamming it shut. Her locker handle sliced into her cheek. Her cheek stung, but noticed immediately that she was only holding half of her painting and Evan holding the other half.

She just started blinking as she looked at the scrap in her hand then she noticed wet droplets appearing on the canvas. She looked down and realized that Evan had thrown down the other half on the ground. Taylor quickly knelt down to pick up the other piece. She just looked at the two pieces and the torn face looking back at her then everything seemed to hurt inside.

"Crying over your little painting Dorkman?"

"Hey Evan!" She heard someone shout harshly. She looked up to see that Evan had turned to his right. "What do you want Sh—"

He didn't finish as she saw someone's fist collide with Evan's mouth. She blinked in surprise when she saw blood and teeth fly out of Evan's mouth.

Steven saw teeth and blood flying from his initial hit, but ignored it as he followed with a quick left jab. Evan's head snapped backward and slammed the back of his head into the locker.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Evan screamed the best he could with missing his top and bottom front teeth and swung widely with his right hand and connected to Steven's left eye socket.

Steven's head jerked to the side, but remained on his feet and slowly turned his head back to face Evan. The shoulder length haired teenager stared at Evan for a moment before smirking. "You have to do better than that." Evan blinked in horror before Steven swung faster than he could see and connected to the left side of Evan's jaw with a right hook. The slightly heavier boy jerked to his right and stumbled backwards.

Evan turned back and speared Steven and hauled him up off his feet onto his left shoulder and ran to the opposite side of the hall and slamming him another row of lockers. Steven screamed in rage as he got his left arm around Evan's neck in a headlock and pulled up as hard as he could to choke out the larger guy. Evan started flailing wildly with his arms while Steven grabbed the back of Evans belt and pulled towards him and slamming the top of the boy's head into the locker behind him. The larger teenager was able to get his hands up after the second slam of his head into the locker and stopped his forward momentum. Evan shoved off the locker and Steven let him go.

As the heavy set teenager tried to catch his breathe, but Steven wouldn't let him with a right left combination to Evan's face and sending him stumbling backwards. Evan tried to swing back, but with every missed swing at the quicker long haired boy, Steven would hit him two or three times in the face sending even more blood flying from his mouth and now broken nose.

Steven charged him and grabbed him be the shoulders. The lighter teenager pulled Evan down and slammed his knee just under the heavier teenager's ribcage. The wind was knocked out of Evan from the strike and sent more blood flying out of his mouth. Steven pulled Evan up by the back of his neck and jabbed one last time with his right fist squarely into Evan's face.

The boy literally spun around and went face first into the hallway floor. His head bounced after he went face first into the floor, allowing him to slam his face twice into the floor. Steven rolled him over and grabbed Evan by his collar to haul him up to meet his opponent's eyes that seemed to focus on everything but Steven. "If you _ever_ touch her again, I'll kill you. Do you understand?" Evan nodded as his eyes rolled backwards. The longer haired boy threw Evan down. Steven stood up and spat down on Evan in disgust then stepped over him. He looked across the gathered students and asked, "Anyone else looking for a fight?"

The gathered students quickly went on about their business with none wanting to take him up on his offer.

Steven tried to catch his breathe and slow down his heart rate as he looked around. He finally turned his attention to the bandana wearing teenager still holding her pieces of canvas and staring down at it. She had now been reduced to just sniffles. He walked over to her and knelt down beside the brunette girl. "Hey," he whispered. She looked to him sad brown eyes and tear stained cheeks. She blinked at him a few times and Steven held back a wince as he saw her bloody right cheek. "It's going to be okay."

She shook her head no and looked back down at the torn remnants. Steven let out a sad sigh. "Come on; let me take you to the school nurse."

She continued to ignore him until he whispered to her, "Please, for me?"

Taylor turned her head to look at him and saw his boyish grin. She gave him a small, sad smile and nodded her head. She held the two pieces of canvas to her chest. He gently took her by her left elbow and wrapped his right arm around her to hold her right hip to help her to her feet and led her down the hall without letting go.


	3. Chapter 3

Special Guest Appearance by Mark Harmon as Colonel William "Dorf" Dorfman

Chapter 3

Ridgeway High School

September 2011

Carly was glad the last period of the day being study hall for her and she wouldn't have to deal with anyone. She found an out of the way table near the corner of the large room and pulled out one of her textbooks. She opened it up and began rereading the chapter that had been covered in class, but the brunette found it hard to concentrate on what she was reading.

This was supposed to be a great day for her, but she felt it had turned into a disaster. Other than a select few, most of the student body didn't believe it was real between her and Freddie. Between the class changes she would get a brief meeting with Freddie to exchange a hand squeeze or smile, but then she could feel the eyes on her from passing students and sometimes heard their whispers: he finally wore her down, she's giving him a pity date, she'll just tire of him again or she just doesn't want anyone else to have him.

Lunch had given her a reprieve where she could share lunch with her best friend and now boyfriend. She knew she was too quiet at lunch and that Freddie had picked up on it immediately, but she really didn't know what to say to him. She held on to Freddie's hand under the table during the entire lunch and he did give her the occasional squeeze to let her know he was there and cared.

She was so deep in thought she didn't notice the brown haired boy walk beside her. "Hey," Freddie whispered in a warm tone.

Carly looked up to see Freddie holding a bottled water as a makeshift vase for a purple daisy. He sat it down just behind the opened textbook in front of her then took a neighboring chair to sit down beside her.

Carly immediately took the plastic bottle in her hand to take a closer look at the flower. She looked at him perplexed. "Where did you get this?"

"I have a friend of a friend in the horticulture class spared me one of their flowers. I thought you could use it to brighten your day."

Carly nodded then looked back at the daisy. It was a very lovely flower that looked like it could be one of their best grown ones and not just one they would discard anyway. She realized that he must have gone out of his way to get this just to make her feel better. His simple gesture to her brought a small smile to her face and she realized how lucky she was to have him at this moment.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly bring her back to reality.

For a moment she remained silent hoping he would drop the matter, but she could feel his eyes on her. "They don't think it's real."

"So?" was his response in the softest of whispers.

She turned sharply and gave him a hurt look. "So? They don't think I care about your or—" she shut her mouth quickly and looked down at her lap.

Freddie scooted his chair closer to Carly so he was just a few inches from her. "Carly, I don't care what they think. I've never cared what they have thought. The only one's opinion that mattered to me was yours."

"Their opinion never shaped yours? Never made you question?"

"My love for you?" Freddie shook his head. "Never."

"Not even now about how I feel about you?"

Freddie grinned. "Never."

"Promise?" she asked in a hesitant voice.

Freddie wrapped his left hand around hers holding the water bottle and leaned in for a soft kiss to her cheek. He then met her eyes as she gave him a small smile and replied, "Promise."

The next thing they heard was the screeching voice of Ms. Briggs, "What do you think you two are doing?"

Shay Loft/Apartment

Shay tilted his head to the side as he watched Spencer try to push the Metalbot to the freight elevator. The expressions on Spencer's face as he strained himself to get the sculpture to move just a few inches at a time were becoming quite comical.

Spencer finally stopped and let out a tired breath as he wiped his forehead. He looked to Shay and asked, "Are you going to give me a hand?"

Shay snorted out a breath. "I'm not going to hurt myself moving that. It's too heavy for the two of us. We just need to disassemble it and put it back together at the SAM."

"We can't do that before school's out unless you want me to call Sam's mom to pick them up?"

"Ask Pam to drive them? You're kidding right? I wouldn't trust that woman with my dog if I had one." Shay shook his head, "We'll just take it apart and take it to the museum. I'll stay and get started putting it together while you go pick them up and bring them back here. Once you're done with that, you can come back to the museum to help me."

Before Spencer could respond, there was a knock at the door. Shay shook his head, "I got it." He headed for the door and opened it to reveal the last person he really wanted to see. "Dad?" he asked half-heartedly in surprise.

"Steven," Granddad Shay spoke warmly before enveloping his son in a hug.

Shay grimaced as he hesitantly patted his father's back. "Dad, how are you?" he asked dryly and rolling his eyes for having to hug the old man.

Granddad pulled back and clasped each shoulder of the Colonel. "I'm doing just fine. You?"

Shay nodded. "I'm doing alright. I think everything is going good."

"That's good to hear," the older man answered then turned his attention to Spencer.

"Spencer," he acknowledged his grandson.

"Hey Granddad," Spencer replied with a smile and a wave.

Spencer's phone rang from inside his jean pocket. "Excuse me," Spencer spoke as he reached into his pocket to grab his cell phone. He turned and headed for the kitchen to have the phone conversation.

Shay looked to his father with a hesitant smile. "So what's with the visit?"

Granddad grinned. "Isn't it obvious, I wanted to see my son? It's been a few years."

Shay grinned half heartedly and shrugged. "Well I'm here?"

"I can see that. Why didn't you tell me you were home for a visit? Why did I have to find out by watching iCarly?"

Shay shrugged his shoulders. "I was catching up with Spencer and Carly and then something came up."

"What's that?"

"Something," Shay replied cryptically.

Granddad gave him a disappointed look and nodded his head.

Shay didn't give a care about the look and didn't hide the lack of concern from his face.

"Ah dad, granddad, I just got a call from the school," Spencer interrupted the father/son staring contest while holding up his cell phone. The pair looked to Spencer both annoyed at being interrupted. "Carly and Freddie are in the Principal's office and they said I should come down."

"Why?" Shay asked in concern.

Spencer was hesitant in answering, "They just said it involved inappropriate conduct."

Shay sighed in annoyance.

"Well doesn't this sound familiar?" Granddad asked pointedly to Shay.

"Yes it does, but I'm going to take my child's side instead of assuming she did something wrong. Does that sound familiar to you old man?"

Granddad Shay looked annoyed at his son and Shay stared back just as coldly.

May 1980

The look on Principal Russ' face showed that he was quite upset at the situation as he stared at Steven as the two of them sat in Russ' office. The teenager stared right back at the Principal as he closed his fists then relaxed them to prevent his fingers from stiffening.

"I thought you had just gotten lazy and became a loser over the last year. I didn't think you'd pull something like this: you never struck me as some white knight," Russ commented dismissively.

Steven chuckled, "Well, I could have charged in on my motorcycle, but that would have been a little cliché."

Russ stood up from behind his desk and pointed his finger at Steven. "Stop being a smartass. You're already in enough trouble."

Steven laughed louder and replied with a grin, "Do I look like I care?"

Mr. Russ frowned deeply. "We had to call an ambulance for Evan you snot nose punk!"

"So? Evan's been looking for a real fight for a long time. I just gave him what he wanted instead of him settling with picking a fight with a girl who wouldn't hurt anyone."

"That wasn't your place," he snapped.

Steven sat up in the chair. "Whose place is it when you don't get off your ass and do anything about him or his buddies?"

Russ didn't answer as there was a knock on the principal's office door then Greg Shay was led into the office by the school secretary.

"Mister Shay," Russ greeted the other gentleman as he walked around his desk.

"Principal Russ," Greg replied shaking an offered hand. He then immediately looked to his son as Steven stood up. Greg Shay grabbed his son's chin and turned his head to see his left eye socket starting to form yellow spots under the skin. "Steven Shay, what did you do?"

Steven turned his head to meet his father's eyes. "I kicked someone's ass."

His father gave him a stern look. "This isn't funny Steven."

Steven snorted out and held back a laugh. "I didn't say it was."

"Why did you get involved?"

Steven shrugged his shoulders and looked to the floor. "I don't know, I guess he just pissed me off."

Greg pursed his lips in annoyance from the response.

Just then a well built gentleman in his late fifties wearing a tailored made business suit with an unusually patterned and colorful tie entered the office. He had a stern, somewhat worn face with salt and pepper hair.

"Mister Dorfman," the principal began, but was pointedly ignored as the man in his late fifties approached Steven with a look in his eye ready to kill the young man.

"Are you the little punk that hit my little girl?"

Steven stared back just as coldly. "No, sir. I'm the one that beat the shit out of the guy who did. If you hurry you can catch up with the ambulance to tell him how you feel, but if you would, tell him I'm keeping his teeth."

The gentleman blinked at the response and turned to look at the Mr. Russ. "Is what he said true?"

"Yes sir. Mister Evan Davis is currently on the way or is already at the hospital. Mister Shay injured Mister Davis quite severely. He knocked several teeth out and broke Mister Davis' nose. The young man may have suffered a broken rib."

He then looked back to Steven and noticed the yellow discoloration forming around the left eye socket. William Dorfman looked down to Steven's hands clenching and unclenching. He grabbed one of the hands and examined it, immediately noticing the scrapped knuckles while Steven looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Dorfman dropped the hand and looked back up and saw the discoloration around Steven's left eye. He locked his eyes back onto Steven's eyes. "Why are you here?"

Steven answered hesitantly with a perplex look at the older gentleman, "I suspect they are going to suspend me or just expel me."

With a cold stare, Dorfman looked to Mr. Russ. "Is that true?"

"Yes sir, as I explained, Mister Shay here—"

Dorfman gave the principal a stern look as he asked, "Are you stupid?"

"What?" Russ asked a little taken back by the question.

"It was a simple question. Are you stupid or not? You want to do something to him? He's the one that was protecting my daughter," Dorfman pointed to Steven. "Where were you or any other teacher? What are you going to that little bastard that hurt my little girl?"

Russ cleared his throat and began, "We haven't heard his side off the story—"

Mister Dorfman exploded in anger, "His side? I don't care about his side! You better expel his ass right now or I'm going to go your boss and have your ass out of here before the end of the day. Don't you think I can't or won't do it."

Russ swallowed nervously. "Yes sir, I will take care of it. For Mr. Shay I think we can work something out."

Dorfman took a step forward. "No, you're not going to do anything to him. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," Dorfman answered curtly then looked to Steven. He gave the young man a nod that Steven immediately returned then headed out of the office presumably to take his daughter home.

Greg turned to look at his son and whispered, "You're lucky he just saved your butt mister."

"Well I saved his daughter's, so I guess it makes us even. Too bad I didn't have _my_ dad stand up for me like that," Steven replied with a snark at the end.

Greg blinked at the insult.

Steven ran his left hand through his hair. "Well, I guess I'll see you at home pops." Steven the walked past him and headed for his last class of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

Chapter 4

Ridgeway High School

September 2011

The school secretary led the Shay trio to the Principal's office. Shay immediately took charge when he entered and ignored Carly and Freddie sitting in the office by asking Franklin, "What's the problem here?"

The African-American was a little surprise at the forwardness of the unknown gentleman. "You are sir?"

Shay heard his daughter and father exchange happy pleasantries seeing each other as he answered Franklin, "Colonel Steven Shay. I'm Carlotta's father. So what's the problem?"

"Colonel Shay? I didn't realize you were in town. It's a pleasure to meet you sir," Franklin greeted the Colonel with an extended hand.

"Principal Franklin," he replied with a returned handshake.

"Well Colonel, Miss Briggs caught Carly and Freddie during study hall being, how should I put it—"

"How about in plain English?" Shay asked curtly.

Principal Franklin was surprised at the abruptness in the Colonel's question. However, he just sighed and answered, "I'm sorry to inform you that they were being inappropriately affectionate towards one another."

Shay narrowed his look towards Franklin. "I just asked for plain English and you gave me a vague answer. Are you purposely trying to waste my time?"

"They were making out in a corner of the study hall," Miss Briggs answered before Franklin could reply.

Shay took a quick glance at Carly and Freddie and realized from their expressions that Briggs was mistaken or a liar. He was betting on liar because he didn't trust that woman as far as he could throw her. If she had told him the sky was blue he would have demanded a confirmation of that observation. He turned his attention to Franklin and asked, "I assume that Mrs. Benson has been called?"

"Yes, she is on her way."

Shay nodded his head. "Well until she arrives, I would like to speak with my daughter in private for a moment."

"Yes of course," Franklin conceded to Shay's request.

Shay nodded his head and looked to his daughter. "Come on kiddo, tell me what happened."

After exchanging a brief smile with Freddie, the brunette got up and headed out the door with holding apparently discard bottled water bottle to keep a purple daisy. Spencer followed her after his father motioned with his head that he should follow his little sister out.

Granddad Shay attempted to follow them out of the office, but Shay held up a hand. "It's just Spencer and I who are going to talk to her."

"You're not inviting me to come?"

"I would, if I valued your opinion," Shay replied sarcastically then shut the door behind him.

Once he shut the door behind him, Shay looked to his daughter and asked, "So what's really going on?"

"We weren't making out," Carly emphatically denied.

Shay smiled warmly at his daughter. "I know _that_. You can do that at home all you like as long as it doesn't involve actual sex. I want to know what really happened."

"Oh, ah well… it started with me having a bad day-"

Spencer interrupted in a concern tone, "Why? What's wrong?"

"People have been looking at me funny and whispering all day," Carly began in a down tone.

Both Shay men looked to her confused.

Carly sighed, "They think I really don't care about Freddie or that this is just a fling like last time… that it's not real."

Both Shays responded together, "Oh."

"Yeah, so in study hall Freddie showed up with this," she answered holding up the bottle. "He just could tell I was down and was hoping to cheer me up with the daisy. He asked what was wrong and I told him what I just told you. Freddie said he didn't care what others thought and it wouldn't change his opinion about us, that it would never change his opinion and I asked him to promise. He kissed my cheek then promised. Then Miss Briggs started yelling at us and dragged us here."

Shay nodded, "Okay." He rested a hand on Carly's shoulder than kissed her on the forehead. He then looked to Spencer. "Spencer, go ahead and take Carly home. I'll deal with Franklin."

"I don't want to leave Freddie," she rattled quickly.

Shay relented, "Fine, but stay out here with Spencer. I'll deal with Franklin and make sure nothing happens to Freddie."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely."

Just as he was about to reenter the office, Mrs. Benson walked up. She immediately started glaring at Carly.

"Stop that right now Marissa," Shay demanded and pointed his finger at her.

"She just got my Freddie in trouble and I had to come down here."

"Do you honestly believe that without even asking Freddie's side of the story? Putting someone else's word in front of your son's? That's shocking coming from you Marissa."

Mrs. Benson's annoyed looked turned to one of horror as she realized what she had accidentally put someone ahead of her own son and Shay smiled as he had maneuvered her perfectly into the conclusion he wanted her to draw.

She asked in an impatient tone, "What's going on then Steven?"

"Glad you should ask," he replied with a grin.

After Shay explained the situation to Mrs. Benson, the brunette/redhead stormed into the principal's office. "How dare you accuse my son of un-gentlemanly behavior? I demand that you apologize to my son right this instant or I and Steven are going straight to the superintendent to file complaints against the both of you."

"Mrs. Benson—" Franklin began.

"Don't you Mrs. Benson me. Steven's explained to me how vindictive that woman can be and how you refuse to discipline any of your teachers for misconduct," she replied pointing at Miss Briggs who in turned looked shock at the accusation. She turned her head and glared at Shay.

Shay smirked right back at his wife's former rival teacher.

Franklin was evidently surprised this afternoon from both parents. He found it hard to believe that Spencer or Carly could be related to such a man or that Mrs. Benson could react in such a manner.

"Well?" Mrs. Benson demanded.

"I'm waiting for the same apology as well as one for taking up our time," Shay added in a detached voice. "My son is suppose to be setting up his sculpture at the Seattle Art Museum, not wasting time here doing your job."

Franklin sighed in defeat. "I apologize for this misunderstanding."

"Principal Franklin—" Ms. Briggs began, but Franklin held up a hand to silence her. "However, you can understand my position about taking such matters seriously."

Shay answered, "Yes I can, but you should have known better in regards to these two. Now since the rest of this school day is blown, I'm taking my daughter home and I expect full credit attendance for this period for her."

"I'll be doing the same," Mrs. Benson huffed out with an annoyed tone.

Franklin nodded his head. "Of course, my secretary will take care of that."

May 1980

It was the day after Evan had torn up her painting and the nice long haired boy had taken her to the school nurse. Taylor was alone in the art classroom after school, just like she always was. She had to be here this afternoon. She couldn't go home without getting this done. With brush in hand, she was halfway done with her painting of a portrait of her mother. She had her original painting clothes pinned to a neighboring easel and using it as guide to recreate her original work. As she painted she heard footsteps past in the hallway and assumed it was the janitor's as he was making his usual rounds until she realized that they had stopped at the door of the classroom.

She paused for a moment to look to see who was at the door. She hid her surprise at seeing Steven standing at the threshold to the classroom and leaning against the door frame. After a moment of thought, she waved him inside with her free hand. She doubted he wanted to step inside and for some reason that hurt inside. She realized that she may have frowned at him letting him know her disappointment in advance.

He stepped inside and it brought the briefest of smiles to her face and she turned back to her portrait. _He didn't run away._ From the corner of her eye she saw him walk behind her and stand to her right. He stopped and examined what she was doing in silence.

Taylor pointed to her right gesturing for him to have a seat and silently hoping he would take the offer. He took the spare seat that went with the other easel. _He didn't run away_.

She started back on her painting with continuing on the woman's eyes. It didn't escape her attention as she painted that he was studying her. She was use to stares or being completely ignored, but not… admired.

She would glance at him between brush strokes and notice him as well. He was taller than her by a good half foot and his brown hair was nearly shoulder length and some brushed behind his ears. He had a sweet and comforting smile. She then realized that to her, he was cute. The artist would bite her lower lip every time she glanced at him and wondered if she could get away with it without him running away.

Taylor was finally done and sat her brush down. She took a moment to admire the portrait. She knew her father would like this one. The only thing that brought her back to the real would was Steven whispering, "Your mother."

She turned to look at him and gave him a nod. She tried to smile at him, but she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her cheek and cringed. Out of instinct her hand flew up to the side of her face. She blinked and tried to push the pain away, but she felt her eyes moistening.

She looked to him in surprise when she felt his hand slip between her fingers and bandage and noticed he was giving her a bashful smile.

He whispered to her, "Just squeeze my hand until the pain stops. Don't worry about squeezing too hard."

Taylor obliged and squeezed hard for several seconds to distract her from the pain in her cheek. After the pain subsided, she loosened her grip, but didn't let go. She held on and laid their clasped hands on her thigh. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to let go of his hand. Maybe she was afraid he'd run away or maybe she would just wake up.

She turned over his hand and noticed the scrapes and cuts on his knuckles. With her left hand, she gently guided her finger tips over them as if to check to see if they were real then noticed the blood spots on the motorcycle jacket sleeve. They were both real and he had earned them in protecting her. She looked up to see his brown eyes and she reached up to his left eye. With the softest of touches, the pads of her fingertips outlined the yellow discoloration around the eye socket as she just studied his eyes. The brunette was surprised when he slightly leaned into her touch.

The brunette dropped her hand and turned her attention back to the painting. She enjoyed the silence and admitted to herself that she enjoyed the company of the cute boy. He was… nice.

"Your mother's very lovely," he whispered and she smiled inwardly. He was a nice boy, troubled, but nice nevertheless. She knew smiling was not the best option, but since she was still holding his hand, she squeezed it in the hopes that he would understand. What surprised her next was his next question: "Do you want me to take you home?"

She risked smiling and nodded her answer. They got to their feet together and she went about her business to put away her supplies and smock. She almost in reverence took down the two torn pieces of canvas off the easel and into her book bag. She then slung the old military backpack on her shoulder.

"Will that be safe here overnight?" she heard him say over her shoulder. She took a quick glance at the portrait then to him and nodded. As she looked at him again she bit her bottom lip.

"What?" he asked in a curious tone.

Taylor didn't know how to answer him so she decided to risk it and kiss him on the cheek. She couldn't bring herself to see his reaction from being kissed by her, so she looked down at her feet. She heard him clearing his throat in obvious surprise, but couldn't look up at him. What surprised her however was that he replied, "That was… nice."

She immediately lifted her head and smiled the best way she could at him and he smiled back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Shay Apartment

"Well that was embarrassing," Carly commented as she was first to enter the apartment while still holding her daisy in one hand and dropping her book bag beside the front door.

Sam followed right behind her and sighed with a smirk on her face. "It's not that bad kiddo."

Freddie was right behind the blonde in entering followed behind by the three Shay men and Mrs. Benson.

Carly turned to her sharply. "Yes it is. I don't want to know what they're calling me now. We got dragged out of study hall."

Sam gave her a sympathetic smile. "It's just little gossip and it's going to all blow over in a few days. Just talk to Wendy and she'll make sure the truth gets out."

Shay spoke up, "Sweetie, you can't care what others think about your relationship and you'll be happier when you realize that. I'm speaking from personal experience."

"That's certainly true," Granddad Shay echoed.

Carly looked surprised as she watched her father just turned his head and glare at her Granddad. For a moment to her, it look like they were about to get into a staring contest. She was about to question them when she caught Freddie apprehensive look towards her. A sickening feeling suddenly formed in her stomach. She interrupted their visual dueling when she spoke up, "I think I'll head up to my room." She looked to Freddie and slightly motioned her head to upstairs. She hoped he caught the message as she turned and headed up to her room.

A moment later, Freddie followed right behind her. Sam shook her head and head for the kitchen. Shay saw both teenagers heading in different directions as a curious development. His thoughts were interrupted with Granddad Shay, "Do you think that's such a good idea now?"

"What?"

"Carly and Freddie in her room together—alone?"

Shay just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "What is he going to do?"

"Same thing you did."

"That's what _married_ people do," Shay snapped back and pointed to Spencer. "How do you think we got him?"

Shay noticed the look of surprise from Spencer at the question. "Got me how?"

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Benson asked in a nervous tone.

Shay shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'll be forty-nine in December, Spencer turns thirty in November. Do the math and subtract nine months. It isn't hard to figure out how old I was when Spencer was conceived. He was our happy accident."

Shay held back a grin as he watched Marissa do the math in her head. The look of horror at the realization of finally realizing the significations of the short age difference between father and son brought on a laugh from Shay.

"That's not funny son," Granddad replied sternly.

"It was pretty funny when and where she told me she was pregnant. It wasn't the ideal place, but…" He stopped as he remembered back to it with a smile on his face.

Sam raised a hand. "Do we really want to know?"

Spencer raised his hand too, "Yeah dad, do we?"

Shay waved them off, "Never mind."

"I think I should go up there," Mrs. Benson stated nervously.

Shay looked to Mrs. Benson and stated firmly, "Oh no, you will not. You are not going to start that. You either trust your son or you don't."

In a dry tone, Mrs. Benson replied, "It wasn't him I was worried about. I caught them last time."

Shay chuckled, "Yeah, two fifteen year old teenagers with half an hour alone and him in just a bathrobe and they didn't go past kissing—I think our kids are saints, Marissa."

Marissa held up a finger and was about to speak, but apparently realized what he had said, "I think you're right."

Shay smiled. "Wow, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me Marissa."

Carly sat the bottle on the windowsill for it to catch the sunlight. A few moments later, she heard foot steps enter the room and shut the door. "Thank you for the flower," she whispered as she looked down at the purple daisy. She turned slightly to look over her shoulder.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "It wasn't any trouble."

She turned to face him and sat down on row of seats in front of the window with furled eyebrows. "Yes it was. Why do you think it's not?"

"To me it wasn't. It was just another in a long list of things I've done to show that I care."

With a questioning look she asked, "Has it become that routine for you?"

He shook his head then walked up the few steps and past her bed to seat beside her. He turned to face her and rested his right arm on the windowsill. "That wasn't the best way for me to phrase it, but… no, it isn't routine for me. Some of the instances blur, but not my sincerity for them has ever blurred. Each one I thought would mean something to you, so they meant something to me and I never thought about how much trouble it would be to show you I cared."

She smiled as she remembered back to something. "Do you remember the day we were going to film for the school talent show and brought me a tray with orange juice? You gave me a flower to me then too."

Freddie grinned as he thought back to that day. He was shorter than her and he held up a silver platter and with a treat and a flower. He didn't notice that she had slipped a hand into his hand. He looked up to see her smile; the one that reached her eyes.

"So all those times were your way of saying you loved me?"

"_Love_ you," he corrected gently with a half smirk.

Carly blushed at the gentle reminder and looked at their joined hands. She suddenly looked up and leaned in to capture his mouth in a kiss. It took him a moment to realize what was happening, but once he did he returned the kiss with just as much enthusiasm and more importantly, sincerity. The kiss then turned to several light kisses traded back and forth as Freddie remembered how they traded kisses in his bedroom just over a year and a half ago.

Carly was the first to pull away and catch her breath then the blush filled her cheeks.

"We haven't done that in a while," he chuckled as the pair rested their foreheads respectfully on each others.

"No we haven't," Carly whispered with a grin.

"Still just as nice as I remember it."

Carly's blush deepened if that was possible. "I think a little better than I remember." She lifted her eyes to meet his as their foreheads continued to rest on each other. "Freddie, I love—"

"Are you ready to say it like that?"

She heard it in his voice that the question did not carry with it any accusation or guilt or even pain, but a weird comforting curiosity. She thought for a moment and her face dropped when she realized that she wasn't ready to say it. "I—"

He whispered with a smile, "It's okay. I love you." He then stole a kiss and grinned at her joyfully.

She licked her lips and broke into a grin. The brunette realized the sinking feeling that had formed in her stomach earlier had turned into one of falling and that wasn't such a bad feeling at the moment.

Freddie shook his head. "This isn't how I wanted our first day in public as a couple to end. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she whispered in an almost pleading tone in Freddie's ears.

"I'll accept that if you would go out with me to the Groovy Smoothie and give me another chance to cheer you up."

Carly smirked, "Deal." She then stole a kiss from him before getting up and heading for the door.

Sam was halfway eating her ham sandwich when Carly and Freddie made their way down the stairs. She watched as both headed for the door. "Where are you two heading?" Sam asked curiously between bites of her sandwich.

Carly answered cheerfully as she headed for the door, "To the Groovy Smoothie."

Sam held back a frown she wanted to display in realizing that Carly meant that it was just going to be her and Freddie.

Freddie turned around hesitantly once he reached the door and asked, "Sam, wanna come?"

Carly looked to Freddie with a questioning look and he answered back with just a shrug of his shoulder.

Sam blinked at him after hearing the question. Shay walked up beside her at the counter and leaned in to whisper to her, "He's offering you an olive branch. I suggest you take it."

She looked to Shay for a moment then sat her sandwich down on her plate. "Yeah, sure," she replied a moment later and headed to catch up with them at the door. The blonde shouted over her shoulder, "Save my sandwich."

May 1980

The pair walked out to the back school parking lot. It was completely bare save for one or two cars and a black motorcycle. Taylor followed Steven's lead to the motorcycle until he hopped onto it. He dug into a pocket for a moment to find the key and start the bike. He smiled nervously as she gave him a naïve look which he found absolutely adorable. He didn't know what troubled him more: him being nervous at her apprehension or that he found her adorable as she looked at him.

"I know she's not much to look at, but…" Steven started with a shrug of his shoulders. "Have you ever ridden on a motorcycle?"

She shook her head no as she held on each two each of her backpack straps at her shoulders.

He smiled slightly. "You want to?"

She smiled briefly and nodded her head yes.

"Okay then," he spoke as he reached down into the left side saddlebag and dug through it for a moment. "Ah," he replied as he pulled out a bell half-helmet. He placed the helmet on top of her head and snapped the chin strap.

"Safety first," he explained and she smiled in response. He took a seat on his bike then she hopped onto the back behind him. "Okay you just—" he started but was interrupted as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

He cleared his throat and turned his head slightly for their eyes to meet. Her mouth was neutral and the way her eyes looked at her, he interpreted as a question of: _"Am I doing it right?"_

He smiled to her and raised an eyebrow. "You sure you haven't done this before?"

She responded with a slight grin.

He nodded his head and reached down to pat the top of her joined hands around his waist to make sure she was holding on. "Okay then. You'll just point the way for me?"

She nodded with a brief smile then he revved the engine and drove out of the parking lot.

After riding for about ten minutes and Taylor's silent directions, the pair pulled up in front of a large three story Victorian style home with white siding and black trimmed roof.

"Wow," Steven whispered as he brought the bike to a stop and took a good look at the home. The only thing that stood out beside it being such a large home was the colorful wind shutters painted as if painted by a child with finger-paint. Taylor stepped off the bike and pulled off the helmet. She tucked it back into the saddlebag where it originally stored.

Steven cleared his throat. "So… I'll see you around?"

Taylor grinned slightly then kissed him on the cheek and turned to walk to her front door. When she reached the front door, she turned half way around and gave him a small wave. Out of instinct he raised his hand to wave back as she slipped through the doorway.

He nodded to himself then revved the engine to peel away from the curb.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Groovy Smoothie

September 2011

The girls took seats around one of the triangle tables while Freddie headed for the counter to place their orders. As soon as Freddie was out of earshot, Sam asked, "So what were you two really doing?"

Carly shook her head. "Nothing, Freddie just kissed me on the cheek."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What? That's it?"

"He gave me the flower beforehand," she added with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Wow, Briggs does know how to overreact."

"Yes she does, but I was at least expecting a mister and Mrs. Benson joke from you," the brunette replied in a deflated tone.

Sam shook her head. "No, I'm not going to joke about that right now. I'm happy for you… for the both of you." The blonde suddenly grinned and continued, "But that doesn't mean I can't tease you later about it."

That comment brought a smirk from the brunette. "Fine," she replied then gave a soft laugh.

Freddie came back to the table with a tray of three smoothies. He handed one off to Carly and another one to Sam then sat down beside Carly. The couple's free hands seemed to instinctively search out for one another until their fingers met and intertwined allowing their hands to rest peacefully on the table.

T-Bo walked up to the trio holding a stick with tacos in one hand and grinned. He specifically looked to the brunette pair. "So is it true? You two kids finally together?"

Carly looked to Freddie for a moment before looking back to T-Bo. "Yes, we're together."

T-Bo chuckle and waved off with his free hand. "Finally took you two long enough. I thought you two would get together after your dance."

Carly looked embarrassed for a moment before replying, "Sometimes it takes you a while to see what's right in front of you." She then looked to Freddie who gave her a small smile.

"Glad to hear you've finally come to your sense. If you two ever need another late night slow dance, let me know. I'll be glad to stay open later for you… with a small nominal fee of course," he finished with a grin.

"Thanks Teebs," Carly answered with a smile.

After T-Bo started making his rounds on selling his tacos on a stick, Carly noticed some other students from Ridgeway were entering and taking seats for the usual afternoon rush.

A redhead girl, named Marsha if Freddie remembered her name correctly when she approached him soon after the premiere of Fredward Cullen, approached their table with several of her friends. She glanced briefly at Freddie and Carly's entangled fingers.

"Hey Freddie," she greeted with a smile.

Carly's fingers instantly tightened around Freddie's fingers from the look the redhead was giving Freddie.

"Hi," he responded casually.

One of her friends, some blonde whose name escaped Freddie for the moment commented, "So did you two really get caught making out by Miss Briggs?" Marsha had the decency enough to look embarrassed by the question from her friend.

"No they weren't," Sam answered with particular venom in her voice. "That skunk bag doesn't know what she's talking about. She probably just didn't get her weekly makeout session with Mister Howard and just started imagining stuff."

"That's right," Freddie added, "Principal Franklin apologized to _us_ and do me a favor."

Marsha seemed a little too eager to Carly's ears as she asked, "What's that?"

"Make sure you tell that part if what happened today gets brought in conversation," Freddie answered sternly.

"Oh… okay," Marsha sounded disappointed to Carly and made her feel better for some reason. _That's just your claws wanting to come out kitty,_ a thought ran through the brunette's head.

"We'll see you later," Marsha bid farewell and headed for another table.

Sam leaned down to whisper in a conspiratorial manner, "Hey, if you two really want to make out at school, let mama now so I can cover for you."

"Sam," Carly nearly shouted with her surprise at the Sam's statement.

"Hey, I told you I'd tease you later," Sam replied with a laugh.

The laughter was contagious as the brunette pair joined in the blonde's laughter. Carly caught her breathe a few seconds later and said, "Thanks Sam." She then looked to Freddie, "Thanks Freddie."

"No problem, Carls," he replied with a grin.

After a few minutes of enjoying their smoothies, Carly stated as she got up from her seat, "Excuse me, but I need to head for the ladies room."

Once Carly had disappeared into the ladies restroom, Sam asked, "So Freddie, why the invite?"

Freddie met her eyes with a neutral stare and the blonde wondered if he was debating whether to tell her the truth or not. "Maybe I didn't want to leave you out. This isn't a date between me and Carly, I'm just trying to cheer her up and I thought you could help with that; looks like you did."

"Thanks," she replied with a nod.

"Yeah, well…" Freddie trailed off as he took a greater interest in his smoothie.

May 1980

Steven was sitting on a stool in the garage trying to tighten a bolt on the engine of his motorcycle after changing his T-shirt for a white undershirt. He suddenly heard a revving of a powerful engine and looked up from his bike to see a black Dodge Charger pull up into the driveway. A couple exited from each side of the vehicle: one a thin blonde curly haired teenage boy with circular glasses and a thin raven haired teenage girl with dark brown eyes and a figure that made all the boys turn their heads when she walked past them.

Ruby grinned as she approached the long haired boy. "Wow, isn't it mister white knight himself checking up on his valiant steed."

Steven shook his head. "Aren't you being exceptionally cute today?" he replied with a smirk then turned back to tightening the bolt on the engine.

Glenn walked up beside the raven hair girl and chuckled as he approached, "She's just being her usual self."

"If you say so," Steven replied as he switched to another bolt to tighten.

Ruby walked behind Steven and sat on the back seat of the bike and crossed her leather covered legs so she could rest her elbow on her knee and support her head with a hand. The girl asked with a grin, "So, are you going to tell us about your fight?

Steven looked up for the moment at the girl and replied casually, "It was just a fight and he lost."

Glenn started to laugh and spoke, "Hey that wasn't just one of our Saturday afternoon scuffles with the guys; you beat his ass into the ground and he's still in the hospital."

Steven turned his head and glared at his friend.

He raised his hands up in surrender. "Not that you have to explain why—"

Ruby held up a hand, "I'd like to know why. Don't tell me it was really for the odd little artist."

"He just pissed me off," Steven replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Because he messed with Dorkman?"

Steven glared at her as he got up and wiped his hands clean from an old rag stuffed in his back pocket. "Don't call her that," as he turned and walked for another tool on the workbench against the garage wall.

Ruby chuckled, "Well didn't you become the knight in shining armor?"

Steven turned around and leaned back against the table. "I just don't see the point in making fun of someone who hasn't done anything to us. We just want to live our lives without people bothering us or causing us trouble. She's not bothering us, so why should we have a problem with her? Besides, Evan is just a dickless coward and I just wanted to put him in his place."

"Right," Ruby answered in a tone that indicated she didn't believe him. "We're the outcasts by choice, she's not."

Steven chuckled, "Are you sure about that? Have you ever met her? Ever talk to her?"

Ruby narrowed her eyes on the brunette. "Where were you this afternoon?"

Steven gave her a knowing grin, "I was busy."

"Busy doing what?" Ruby grinned mischievous.

Steven returned the grin, "Stuff."

"Now you want to be cryptic?"

Steven shook his head. "Glenn's on your leash, not me. I don't have to tell you anything."

Ruby lifted her leg up and got off of the motorcycle to approach the taller teenager. She rested her right forearm on his shoulder then rested her chin on her arm so she could look directly at him. She narrowed her eyes on the dark headed young man and the left corner of her mouth twitched up. In a soft whisper in an almost purring tone said, "I wouldn't be that bad of a master. I know you'd enjoy it."

Steven met her seductive stare for a few moments before replying, "That was great delivery."

Ruby grinned. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely; if I didn't know you, I would have bought that," Steven said in a calm and reassuring voice.

"I think you've teased him enough," Glenn spoke up with a humorous grin on his face.

She looked up to her boyfriend. "Oh, I haven't even begun to tease him." She then turned back to Steven. "I think you were with her this afternoon and she just might have snared your attention Steven Shay."

Steven reached up and gently lifted her arm up and chin away from his shoulder. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Of course you don't… are you going to busy doing 'stuff' tomorrow?"

Steven grinned and shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Happy Friday. I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy this next installment. Thank you to all that have read and favorite it so far. **

**Just to correct something because of formatting issues, the actually title of the story is: iGet My (Second) Chance. The parentheses are important.**

**Season premiere of iCarly tomorrow night, iLost My Mind. It should be interesting.**

**Also, all my prayers and thoughts to Miranda, her mother, the tour bus driver and the rest. Please spare a thought or prayer to whatever Deity you may worship for all their speedy recovery.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

Shay Apartment

Seattle, WA

September 2011

Shay was sitting on a stool in the living room trying to loosen a bolt on the torso of the Metalbot.

"So when did Carly and Freddie start dating?" Granddad asked as he watched his son and grandson take apart the robot.

"Tuesday," Shay answered as he finished loosening the last bolt. "Do you have the other side done?" he asked Spencer as his son was doing the same on the other side.

"Yeah dad, I just finished," Spencer asked as he sat down his socket wrench and grabbed the bottom of the torso.

Shay did the same and instructed, "Okay, on three we'll lift: one, two, three." The pair lifted off the top half of the armless robot then gently sat it on the floor.

Granddad gave a nod and contemplated for a moment before asking, "So was this the 'something' that you said came up?"

Shay sat back down and started on the left knee and answered, "Yes."

"Do you approve of him?"

Shay looked over his shoulder, "Yes I do."

"Why? I mean why him?"

Shay grinned as he replied, "Because he was a better man than I was at his age and he loves her."

"That's not much of a standard," Granddad found himself saying out loud.

"Maybe not, but it's not like I could have used you as a standard," Shay replied then snorted out a breath.

Spencer just kept his head down as he took apart the knee joint on his side of the robot. The artist or Carly had never watched their father and granddad argue in front of them, so Spencer was not sure what to expect, but he had enough sense to stay out of it.

Granddad's mouth turned into a thin line and narrowed his gaze on his son. "That was uncalled for Steven."

"And your last smartass remark wasn't?"

"I just want Carly to be with someone that is good enough for her."

"So do I," Shay replied with a shake of his head.

Granddad released a breath then replied, "I just have my doubts about this young man since the last time I really saw him instead of just in passing did not give me much confidence in him. He groveled at her feet for Heaven sakes."

"_I_ think Freddie is quite good for her and she's very fortunate to realize he's a good match for her. What do you want in a guy for her?"

"Someone that will love her and will be able to take care of her," the eldest Shay replied firmly.

Shay grinned and chuckled as he replied, "He loves her and they will take care of each other. Wow, we actually agree on something for once; I think mom would have been happy with that."

Granddad set his jaw tight and stared at his son for a moment. "Why is it always a fight with you Steven?"

Shay stood up and turned to face his father. "Because you've second guessed ever damn decision I've ever made in my life and now you have the nerve to start it up with my children."

"How?"

"You tried to blackmail my son to go back to law school when you knew he didn't want to go. You tried to get Carly to live with you in Yakama."

Granddad frowned and looked squarely at his son. "What's wrong with law school? What's wrong with living in Yakama?"

Shay slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand and let out an annoyed breath. "Spencer didn't want to go to law school and Carly didn't want to live with you. What? You thought that if I found out Spencer didn't go I would just go off on him? And what made you think I would let Carly live with you? Were you just hoping I wouldn't say anything when I found out?"

"Carly was nearly impaled with a hammer to her head by one of his silly sculptures."

"I know, I watched the video, but that didn't give you the grounds to try and take Carly," Shay replied with a gruff voice.

"I thought we had an understanding—"

"We did, but I expected you not to abuse it. You were to look after her in case something happened to Spencer until I could get back not take the first opportunity as an excuse for her to live with you."

He pointed to Spencer. "You know how irresponsible he can be even on his best days. I thought it was the best decision to make at the time."

Shay laughed for a few moments. The Colonel caught his breath and looked hard at his father. "You're just jealous he's a better parent than you were."

Granddad Shay blinked in response to that accusation.

Shay took a step and pointed a finger right into his father's face. "Let's get something straight old man: she would have never lived with you. If neither I nor Spencer were here, she would live with Barry, not you."

Granddad scoffed, "A Dorfman?"

"Yes, a _Dorfman_. That was Taylor's wish if anything happened to Spencer or me: Carly would be with Barry. The one person she knew with absolute certainty to trust to love and take care of her daughter."

"It's been ten years Steven. Maybe you should be more concern about Carly's well being more than her wishes and maybe you should finally take off your wedding band," Granddad finished pointing at his son's left hand.

Shay clenched his jaw tight and his left fist. The former flyer was about to reply when the door opened. "Hey, I'm back," Sam shouted as she entered the apartment. "Where's my sandwich?"

"Refrigerator with plastic wrap," Spencer called out still hiding behind the half dismantled sculpture.

The gray/white haired man looked to the blonde with a concern look on his face and asked, "Where's Carly?"

She looked up to the grandfather with a questioning look before looked to Shay. The Colonel nodded his head and the blonde answered, "Her and Freddie went to Occidental Park. They should be back in an hour."

"Now she's running off somewhere with him without telling you," Granddad Shay commented dryly.

"She did tell me," Shay replied with clear annoyance in his voice and pointed to Sam. "Samantha just told me where they are going."

"Fine," he waved off.

"Good, because Spencer and I are busy. You can either help or sit down and watch some Girly Cow," Shay indicated to the half disassembled sculpture then to the couch.

Granddad looked perplexed, "What's Girly Cow?"

Shay shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I still have no idea and I've watched hours of it."

Occidental Square

"This is an interesting choice for an impromptu date," Carly commented as she walked arm in arm with Freddie through Occidental Park. The yellow, red and orange leaves were beginning to dot the trees and the cool breeze signaled the approaching fall weather. Carly thought it was a beautiful site and perfect for an afternoon walk.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I really didn't think you thought my tech stuff was 'cuky' again yet, so the PearStore is out and I can't exactly take you to Build-a-Bra. I never been too keen on hanging out with you and Sam there before and now I don't think your dad would appreciate if I went with you now. I thought maybe a nice walk in the park would nice."

Carly giggled. "I think you're right, dad might not like you helping me pick out and build a bra." She then looked to him with a smile, "but I think I could learn to love that cuky side again." She then kissed him on the cheek. "Just don't get too technical too quickly on me."

"Oh I'll hold your hand when you're ready," he replied with a grin then laughed himself.

She poked him in the side with a finger, "Thanks, I'll need it."

Freddie leaned over and kissed her temple. "Don't count yourself out too quickly Shay. After seeing your dad in action, I know there has to be a little techie in you."

Carly broke into a laugh. "I don't know about that, but I still have trouble drawing a bunny, so I don't think I got any of my mom's art skills."

"Maybe you're just a late bloomer?" Freddie offered with a warm smile.

"It's fall," she pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "There's always next spring Carls."

"Maybe," she replied just as conspiratorially.

The pair walked for a few more minutes in peaceful silence until they decided to have a seat on one of the park benches. Carly decided to rest her head on his shoulder as Freddie wrap an arm around her and rest his right hand on her hip.

They sat there for a moment to watch the light breeze move and sway through the various colored leaves. Freddie broke the silence by asking, "So, how do you think our first day as publicly being 'Creddie' turned out?"

She smiled to him. "It was a little rough, but I have this wonderful and understanding boyfriend that is full of surprises to make my day great."

"Now you're just flattering me," Freddie replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Doesn't make it any less true."

Freddie let out a breath and chuckled before whispering, "It's only because I have a wonderful girlfriend that understands how much I love her."

She leaned in and whispered, "I'm going to have to remember to thank her for that." She then gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I think tomorrow is going to be better."

"I'm going to try my best to make it one."

The brunette web-hostess rested her head back on Freddie's shoulder. After a few minutes of just enjoying each other's company, Carly commented idly, "Don't you think it is a little weird that we have a blended name? Like we're some big time celebrities or something."

"You are a celebrity," he replied with a grin.

"You know what I mean," she replied with a hint of a smile and bumped into his side with her shoulder.

"Okay, I'll admit it is a little intimidating being the lesser half of a supercouple."

"Now who's flattering who? And you're important too."

"If you say so, but do I need permission to flatter you now? That would be a real bummer if I needed that while I'm your boyfriend when I didn't when I was single."

Carly rolled her eyes, "No, you don't need my permission."

"Good, because I don't want to have to ask you every time I wanted to tell you that you're beautiful."

She looked down and towards his chest as her cheeks began to blush.

"Like right at this moment."

She just rested her forehead on his shoulder trying to hide her face and smile. Freddie pressed his lips on the top of her head. It took about a minute or so before Carly would lift her head up look at Freddie as he watched people go about their business.

"I just wonder what they expect from us," Freddie commented casually as he watched a few birds fly by and rest on some tree branches.

"Who?"

"Our fans; our Creddie fans."

"If they really support us, I expect that they would want us to be happy," Carly offered with a slight nod of her head. "What more could they expect?"

"I guess you're right." Freddie swallowed nervously before hesitantly asking, "Do you think it would be weird if we joined our on fan forum?"

Carly suddenly found the need to clear her throat, "I ah… don't know…"

"You've joined already haven't you?"

Carly looked up and noticed a blue bird fly past. "What a pretty bird," she commented a little too eagerly.

Freddie started chuckling.

The brunette teenager looked down embarrassed. "I was just curious about what they were saying about us."

Freddie grinned and whispered, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Carly tilted her head to the side to look at him. "You've always been able to tell me secrets."

Freddie bit his lip for a moment and looked away from his companion. "I mean this is one where I'm sharing with my girlfriend. The ones where we don't tell Sam."

"Oh… oh, I guess that's another thing that's changed," Carly realized distractedly from the rest of the world.

"Yeah," Freddie replied hesitantly.

"Sam will understand… About you and Sam—"

The lighthearted tone that Freddie had been carrying as the pair walked through the park was replaced with one of quiet seriousness, "Is between me and Sam; we'll… we'll deal with it, okay?"

Carly nodded and replied in a soft tone, "Sam said the same thing."

Freddie let out a breath and shook his head. "I guess we agree on something, but don't tell her that."

Carly looked directly into his eyes. "I won't."

"Okay," he replied with a nod.

Carly back to a lighthearted and carefree tone asked, "So, what secret did you want to tell me?"

"I've—" Freddie cleared his throat, "—already joined too."

"You didn't?" She asked in mock horror.

He shrugged his shoulders as he held her. "I was just as curious. They're pretty nice for the most part, there are a few overzealous ones, but then again there are about ten thousand of them. Can't judge all by a few now can I?"

She shook her head, "Nope."

"But, can I post to them about any dates we'll have in the future?" he asked with a grin plastered on his face.

"Absolutely not Fredward Karl Benson," she replied in stern tone which Freddie found adorable.

He chuckled before asking, "Is using my full name going to be your way of telling me I'm in trouble with my girlfriend now?"

Carly gave him a mischievous grin. "Maybe," she whispered then leaned in for a full kiss in which Freddie eagerly returned.

May 1980

The release bell for the day rang a few minutes ago as Steven headed for the art room. The same as yesterday he stopped at the door and leaned against a door frame with one shoulder, but this time the ache in his hands were considerable less than the previous day. He found Taylor there again and just took a moment to look at her: Taylor was wearing a red bandana today around her head with her brown dirty smock. There was a large lump of clay plotted down in front of her at one of the work desks.

"Hey," Steven whispered as he watched her began to mold the clay on the table. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her smile softly and light up her face and reach her soft brown eyes. He saw she still wore a white bandage on her cheek, but this time there was a strawberry sticker on it.

She looked up at him and to his surprise her smile got bigger.

Steven shrugged his free shoulder. "I said I'd see you around, so I thought I'd come around to make sure I saw you."

She nodded in response as she started softening the clay.

Steven walked inside and towards the front of the table she was working. "So what are you going to make?"

Her mouth upturned towards her left cheek then tapped her left temple with a clay coated finger.

"Oh, so it's a surprise?" he asked with a half smile.

She nodded with a grin.

"Then it looks like I get a front row seat at seeing a master at work… again, if you don't mind?"

She shook her head as she started molding the clay first into a roughly oval shape.

As she continued to soften and mold the clay, he glanced over to the portrait of Taylor's mother still hanging on one of the easels. He brushed some of his hair behind his ear and smiled. He commented casually, "I think your mother's going to like the picture very much."

When he looked back he immediately noticed that her face suddenly turned into one of a neutral expression. He blinked as the gears quickly turned in his processing the possible meaning of her expression and quickly coming up with an answer. "Your mother's no longer with you?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She shook her head as she focused on the dark brown clay. Her expression was now one of sadness and she started putting more energy into molding the clay. He thought for a moment that she would just start beating on it.

Steven let out a breath, "I'm sorry to bring it up." He looked down to the ground for a moment before continuing, "I lost my mother about a year ago." He wiped a hand over his mouth and down his chin. He looked down at the floor and whispered, "She was killed in a car accident. So I know how much it can hurt." He didn't know how long he just stared at the floor thinking back to last year and how different life was then or how different he was and what he use to be. His eyes caught brief movement, but before he could react he realized that the brunette girl had walked around the work table and hugged him.

It took him a moment to realize what she was doing, but then wrapped his arms around her and patted her back. He took a deep breath and assaulted by a variety of different smells: dry paint, the odor of the clay she was molding, the sterile bandage on her cheek and the scented strawberry sticker, and finally her sweet natural scent he had trouble figuring out what possibly could be compare to it.

After a few moments she pulled away she just stared into his eyes and patted his left shoulder. He tried to speak as he looked at her peaceful face, but didn't know what to say. She then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead and held them there for a few moments. She stood back up and gave him a gentle smile while he looked back not knowing how to respond.

She then turned and went back to work on her clay. The brunette started extended some of the clay into a bent rod structure at one end of the vaguely oval shape. She then reached into an open space under the desk to pull out a small bag and set it beside the clay. She opened it up and pulled out clay wiring tool to start making indentations on each side of the oval.

Steven sat there for about half an hour just watching her mold the clay into exactly what she wanted it. It was almost hypnotic to the young man watching her mold and sliced and pressed the clay to form something that was only in her head. She would occasionally looked up and give him a smile.

Once she was finished molding, Steven spoke, "Wow… that's amazing." He stood up from his seat and walked around the table to stand beside her to look at her work. Taylor had sculptured a swan as if it was sitting in the water with its graceful neck raised so the head would look out to the viewer of the piece.

She blinked and gave him an embarrassed smile.

"So, are you going to bake it then paint it?"

She gave him a slight nod.

Steven took a quick glance at the wall clock for the classroom. "I'm assuming tomorrow?" Steven asked with a raised eyebrow.

Again a nod was her answer.

Steven narrowed his eyes for a moment and lifted up a corner of his mouth. "Did you like your ride yesterday?"

She really gave him a grin this time and nodded happily.

Steven looked away for a moment and towards all the various works of art before looking back to her and asking, "Would you like me to give you a ride home again?"

The brunette reached for his hand and gave a squeeze. He squeezed her hand back, not minding the feeling of the sticky warm clay on her hand. Taylor went on about moving the swan to a safer place then to wash up. Steven walked over to the sink as well and washed his hand off from the clay stuck to his hand. She looked over as she was rinsing her hands and smirked at him.

"I can't exactly drive with a sticky hand now can I?"

She let out a slight laugh then went to dry her hands off with some brown paper towels. The artist then went over to the hanging portrait of her mother and careful began to store it in her backpack. She pulled the old military bag on both shoulders and turned to look at the taller teenager.

"So, we ready to go?"

She smiled to him as an answer.

Ruby had been waiting for the last hour after the release bell for the day in an out of the way corner of the school to watch the back parking lot. There were several cars still there she assumed were students that were still there for band practice or some after school club. However, one vehicle had kept her attention the entire time: a black '77 Harley Davidson Sportster.

Her patients had paid off as she watched the owner of the bike exit the building with a shorter brunette girl with a red bandana around her head. She snorted out a laugh at watching Steven put a helmet on the girl's head then watched as he got on his bike and the teenager without hesitation climb on back and wrap her arms around Steven's waist. Ruby grinned as she watched the pair ride off together. The raven haired teenager whispered to herself, "So you have snared his attention. Well, this should be quite interesting."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Shay Apartment

It was approaching seven that night when the Shay family with Freddie and Sam were gathered around the kitchen table for dinner. It was slightly crowed and several additional chairs were needed, but the group fit around the table with the Colonel and Granddad sitting at opposite ends of the table. Carly and Freddie sat on one side and Sam and Spencer on the other. Sam even joked that Carly could always sit on Freddie's lap. Carly blushed for a moment and Freddie glared at Sam which just brought on a joyful laugh for the blonde.

However, it also brought a look of disapproval from Granddad Shay that he directed at his son. His son just returned a half grin to the white haired man. The younger Shay couldn't help but enjoy irritation that his father was feeling. He knew Taylor wouldn't approve, because this was his father, but then again… this was his father.

As the gathering began their meal to celebrate all the Shays under one roof, Granddad Shay looked to Freddie and asked, "So young man, what do you have planned for after you graduate?"

Freddie looked up from his meal and looked caught for a moment at the question. He recovered quickly and sat his fork down on his plate to reply, "I was thinking about several colleges, sir. I haven't decided specifically on a major yet, so that's playing a role and well now…" he looked to Carly and smiled, "Other recent 'developments' will affect my choices in schools."

"So where my granddaughter decides to go to school will affect your choice in which school you decide to attend?"

Freddie blinked at the bluntness of the question and looked to Carly for a moment to see her curious and hesitant look. Before Freddie could answer, Carly replied in a hesitant tone, "We haven't given it much thought granddad." She looked to Freddie for support and he obliged with a nod of his head. She continued, "We're still figuring out a lot things."

"I just hope you take the time to consider what is best for each of you and realize that may not be the same as going to the same university."

The brunette pair looked at each other with questioning looks about a possible future of being separated for four years after all they went through to just to get to _this_ point in their relationship.

"They still have time to figure out what's best," Shay offered between bites of his food. "Being together during college and each getting the best degrees and education they want are not mutually exclusive choices."

Granddad Shay replied in surprise tone, "That's an interesting position for you to take about time considering your choices about going to college."

Shay grinned. "I going to college in the first place was in debatable choice at a time. Then of course things changed and well, it became different then what they're facing."

Sam asked in a curious tone. "How was it different?"

Shay's grin got bigger, "I was already married at the time when Taylor and I applied for college."

"Yes, rushing into marriage did limit your options."

Shay smirked. "You had me at twenty-three dad and since I'm not a bastard child, Taylor and I only had you and mom beat in getting married by what? Three, four years? You two got married while still in college."

Before the argument became any more heated, Freddie interrupted, "Mr. Granddad Shay, there is still Sam to consider. I thought maybe all three of us would go to the same college."

"Me college? I see Freddie is finally getting his sense of humor back," Sam grinned, but once she saw that Freddie wasn't even smiling, least long laughing, she lost her grin. Carly looked to Freddie was just as surprised.

"Don't count yourself out yet Samantha," Shay spoke up. He rubbed his stubble covered chin and chuckled, "I was not the most studious student when I went to high school, but I came back strong my senior year. I went on to college and graduated four years later with an engineering degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force through the school's Air Force ROTC. At twenty-three I was flying an F-Fifteen C. So, you can surprise yourself in what you're capable of doing."

"You should have went back to get your masters," Granddad commented idly as he dug back into his meal.

"I already have two Master's Degrees dad," Shay replied with a raised eyebrow.

"But neither in engineering," Granddad commented before sipping his tea.

Shay replied in a cold tone, "Circumstances prevented that and you damn well know that."

"Yes, I know what put those plans on hold, but you've could have put in for retirement six years ago and went back to school for it," Granddad replied just as sternly.

"A stop-loss policy was in effect. They would have rejected my retirement even if I wanted to leave the service. We went into Iraq just a year and a half earlier; they weren't going to just let me go as an experienced officer when everything was still a mess. Even if they did, they reserve the right to reactivate me if necessary. We've been through this; why do you keep bringing it up? I get it: you never liked me joining the military."

"Maybe we should change the subject," the eldest Shay suggested with a sense of becoming uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation had gone.

"Yes, maybe we should," Shay commented with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

The rest of the meal went by with idle chatter about how the Shay children's lives had been going over the last few months and an edited version of how Freddie and Carly decided to start dating. Carly realized that maybe her granddad didn't need to know all the details.

After the meal, Granddad Shay was preparing to leave, he stopped at the door and stated, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Shay replied with a smile, "You don't have to do that dad. I know how much trouble it is to make the trip here."

"No trouble, I'm staying in the hotel across the street."

"Okay, but Spencer and I are going to the museum to set up the Metalbot in the morning. I don't know how exciting that will be for you."

"That's fine; I want to see his complete sculpture displayed." Granddad then looked to Spencer and Carly. "I'll see you both tomorrow, bye kids."

"Bye Granddad," Carly and Spencer echoed together.

The eldest Shay then looked to the Colonel, "Bye son."

"Bye dad," Shay said dryly then shut the door. "Thank God," Shay whispered with a shake of his head. He turned around to face the group and noticed Carly's surprise look evident on her face.

"Wow," Carly whispered as she looked at her dad.

"Your granddad and I do not see eye to eye on a great many things and neither of us likes to back down."

"I just didn't think it was like that. I mean that you and granddad have always been nice to one another," Carly explained still trying to figure out the real relationship between her father and grandfather.

Shay let out a breath. "Well, he started his mess up with you and Spencer with him wanting you to live with him and Spencer going to law school and obviously trying it with you and Freddie now, so the gloves had to come off. I can't let him start interfering like that; I had to put a stop to it right now. I didn't want you to see the problems I have with him. I didn't want you and Spencer to be caught up in our disagreements."

Carly nodded her head at the explanation.

Shay palmed his forehead for a moment and looked to the floor to gather his thoughts. He looked up to look at Carly and Freddie. "Carly, Freddie, you two will have to decide about which is the best way of being together and accomplishing what you want out of college: go to the same one or two different ones. I can't make that decision for either of you or really give you any helpful advice."

He looked to Sam. "Samantha, I don't know if you really want to go—"

"I can't afford college and let's face it: I'm not smart enough to get any kind of scholarship."

Shay patted her shoulder. "If you want to go to college with Carly or go to some technical or appropriate school that would be more helpful and useful in what you want to do in life, I will pay for it, but you have to pull up your grades now to be able to get into the school."

Sam blinked at him unable to respond to the offer. Shay waved her towards the kitchen. "Now go get yourself some dessert then I'll take you home."

May 1980

It was about dinner time when Steven pulled up into his driveway and into the garage. He turned off the ignition and put the kickstand down before hopping off the motorcycle.

His father was already preparing dinner as Steven walked into the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" Greg asked as he was cooking over the stove.

"School," he replied flippantly as he hung up his jacket.

Greg rolled is eyes up to the ceiling then closed them releasing a sigh. "I mean after school."

Steven shook his head as he took a seat at the dinner table, "I've been out."

"Where?"

"Places," he replied then took a sip from his drink already on the table.

"_Steven Shay_," Greg stated his son's name in a tone that he was tired of his son's evasive answers.

Steven rolled his eyes. "I hung out with my friends after school; you know the same as always."

"Is that all you do? Hang out with a bunch of losers?"

"Those losers are my friends. What's the big deal?"

"Because you could be doing something more with your life than paling around with a bunch of hooligans."

"Whatever you say dad."

Greg turned his attention back to the stove finishing the cooking. "Have you seen that Dorfman girl?"

Steven cocked an eyebrow, "I've seen her in passing."

"Is she doing alright?"

Steven shrugged a shoulder. "I guess. She seems the same way she's always been: quiet and keeps to herself."

"So no one else has bothered her?"

Steven blinked for a moment caught off guard by the question. He finally replied darkly, "Only if they don't have any sense."

"What's that suppose to mean?" the elder Shay asked as he brought the food to the table.

"It means that anyone that tired to bother her would have to be stupid after what happened to Evan."

After Greg took his seat he asked, "You're going to fight anyone that bothers her now?"

Steven immediately dug into his meal, since he hadn't eaten since lunch and didn't go to his usual afternoon hangouts to get a quick meal. "Don't have to fight anyone else. People would just be afraid of having to fight me so no one is going to mess with her. I never have to lift a finger."

"So you think making people afraid of you is the answer?"

Between bites of his food, Steven asked, "Isn't that how adults keep us kids in line? Fear?"

"That's different. We're adults and you're the children."

"So what are we 'children' suppose to do when the adults refuse to do their jobs? Revert to the kids from Lord of the Flies? If that's the case, I don't intend to turn out like Simon or Piggy… and I'm not going to let her be either of them either."

Greg leaned back in his chair at the dinner table with evident surprise displayed in his face. "I wasn't aware that you were familiar with the story."

"I'm lazy dad, not stupid. I can read."

Greg took a deep breath and sighed, "Reading has never been your problem. How are you doing in math?"

Steven shrugged a shoulder as he replied, "Probably low C."

"You just can't get by that way."

"Don't you worry pops, I'll graduate," Steven replied as he was still chewing his food.

"I'd prefer it wasn't at the bottom of your class," Greg shook his head in disgust.

"You're a laugh riot dad," Steven smirked at his father.

"You flunking out of high school isn't funny. How do you expect to go to college?"

Steven laughed, "I'm not going to flunk out of school and I don't expect to go to college. Why do I want to be some egg head or some frat boy?"

"So what do you expect to do then?"

"I haven't figured that out yet, but when I do, I'll let you know," he answered with a smile. Steven finished the last of the food on his plate and complimented, "That was great dad." He then stood up from the table and headed up to his room while shouting back, "Later pops."

Shay Apartment

September 2011

It was an hour later after dinner when Carly and Freddie were laying on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Carly had her head resting on Freddie's right shoulder and his arm around her waist with their fingers laced with one another. The speakers on each side of the bed's headboard were softly playing music.

Carly whispered breaking the silence the two shared resting on the bed, "So you would apply to the same colleges I would just so we could be together?"

"Before… this," he whispered pulling her tighter against him for a moment, "I was going to anyway."

"I really hadn't given it much thought. I didn't think that this time next year everything would be different: no more Ridgeway, no more hanging out after school… no more iCarly. That's kind of scary."

"I know, but we have each other and Sam to see us through it."

Carly gripped her hand tighter with their laced fingers and asked, "So you meant it about Sam?"

"She's your best friend and she's my… well we're still figuring that out. Anyway, why wouldn't it come up that she'd go to college with you? You two being roommates might be funny since I remember the stories you told me when she stayed here when she was on the outs with her mother."

Carly let out a laugh. "She left her panties on the stairway banister."

"I didn't need to know that detail," he replied embarrassingly and Carly noticed that his face started turning red.

Carly just chuckled at Freddie's embarrass look. "I wonder what you'd look like if you found my panties on the stairway banister."

Freddie's face got redder and he just shook his head. "That's not funny Carls," he replied trying to hold back a laugh.

She turned her head and kissed his cheek. Freddie turned his head to look at her and the brunette grinned and whispered, "Do you know you're adorable when you're embarrassed?"

Freddie just broke out laughing. After a few moments he caught his breath and replied, "Well come to think about it, you have dug through my draws and found my underwear before my socks to use as a blindfold, so if I see yours it would only be fair. Not while you're wearing them of course."

Carly's pale cheeks instantly blushed and it was Freddie's turn to grin. She just rolled slightly to hide her face in his shoulder, but gave him the opportunity to kiss her right temple.

In Route to Puckett Residence

Shay leaned his head on his left hand as his elbow propped up his head from the driver's side door as he drove the SUV towards Sam's home. Sam was just looking out the passenger door window seeing the buildings passing by as the vehicle traveled down the various streets.

"Were you serious about college?" she asked breaking the silence.

"Yes I am. If going to the same college as Carly is what you think will help you the most in whatever future career you want then I'll pay for it."

"Why?"

"Because I care," he replied distractedly.

"I'm not your daughter," Sam whispered and Shay thought he heard a hint of regret in her voice.

He glanced at the blonde from the corner of his eye for a moment and replied, "Close enough for me."

The trouble maker just blinked and looked at him for a moment before turning her attention to look straight ahead. After a few minutes she asked, "Do you really have two Master's Degrees or was that a bunch a chizz?"

"No, it wasn't a bunch of 'chizz'. I have a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from Staff College and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air War College. I worked my tail off for them and I worked on the second on in a war zone at the time. I already told you what I was like at your age, so I don't want to hear any bullshit excuses from you about being stupid and can't get into college and actually succeed. If you can't make it in to stay with Carly and Freddie then the only one you can blame is yourself for being lazy, not because you can't afford it."

"If you're so smart, are you going to be a general one day?"

Shay shrugged his right shoulder. "Well… we'll just have to see the next nomination list."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Ridgeway High School

September 2011

Carly smiled as she approached her locker at the end of the day. The whispers about her and Freddie had not ceased, but they weren't as accusatory as yesterday. Some thought it was still a passing thing, others whispering wilder and wilder tales about her and Freddie in the study hall which were quickly drowned out with cold reality from other people's whispers. She assumed that Sam must have spoken to Wendy and Marsha actually did what Freddie had asked of her.

As she was opening her locker, her favorite brown eye boy approached with a smile on his face. He had one hand hold on to his across the chest book bag strap indicating he was just happily waiting on her.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey," she replied cheerfully as she was backing up her own book bag.

Freddie reached behind his head to rub the back of his neck with his free hand as he spoke, "There was something I wanted to ask you."

"What?" Carly asked as she squinted her eyes at him as she wondered why he suddenly became nervous.

"After the next iCarly, would you like to go out?"

"As in?" she asked hesitantly.

"As in a date? A real out and out date?"

Carly licked her lips and grinned. It was an interesting feeling of being asked out on a date from Freddie, specifically on a date and not what they did two Fridays ago or to the park yesterday. Other than hinting at her about asking him to the Girls' Choice Dance, he had never really asked her out.

"I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"

Freddie let out a nervous breath then chuckled. "I thought I'd surprise you."

"Oh?" she replied with a smile and their date being a surprise peaked her interest and excitement than just going out on her first date with Freddie.

She flashed him her 'please for me' look as she asked, "Would you give me at least a hint?"

Freddie rolled his eyes and sighed with a hint of laughter with it, "Okay, we are going out to eat."

"Where?" she grinned and Freddie saw how her eyes lit up.

Freddie shook his head with a grin. "Nope, I already gave away too much."

She took a step closer so the space between them was just a few inches. "So how should I dress? I need to know that much."

Freddie smirked and shook his head trying to hold back a laugh. "Okay, you do need to know that. I'm guessing just about as formally as we did to the Girls' Choice Dance. If that's alright?"

"That's perfect; I have plenty of time to think of something," she whispered then gave him a short chaste kiss on the lips.

It took the tech producer a moment to smile at the gesture, "Well, I'll meet you outside, okay?"

"Okay," she replied happily.

Freddie turned and headed to the school entrance beside the stairwell as Sam approached from the opposite hall. Once Sam reached her locker, Carly flashed a grin to the blonde that threatened to split the brunette's face, "Freddie asked me out."

Sam blinked at the enthusiasm from her friend. She swallowed nervously and debated on how to respond to that since subtlety and being tactful were not her strong suites. "Ah cupcake… he's your boyfriend… you're already going out."

Carly shook her head. "No, I mean, we're going out on a date, _a real date_. We've never been on a date and said it was a date."

"So when are you going to go on this '_date_'?" Sam asked with air quotes.

"After iCarly's webcast."

"Oh," Carly instantly heard the disappointment in her friend's voice.

With a downcast look, Carly replied, "I'm sorry, I know we all hang out after the show, but—"

Sam waved her off. "Mama can find something to keep her occupied, don't you worry. Just have a nice time with Freddie."

Carly tilted her head to the side and asked, "Please don't get arrested?"

Sam rolled her eyes and replied in an overdramatic voice, "Fine mom, I won't get arrested."

Carly replied in a relieved voice, "Good, because I can't tell you all the deets after my date."

"Ewww," Sam replied with a look on her face that suggested she was about to throw up lunch.

"Eww? You've always wanted to know the deets about guys I've gone out with," the brunette replied with a confused expression.

"Yeah, but this is Freddie. I don't want deets about your date with him," she explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Carly was about to reply until she realized Sam was right. "Oh."

The trouble maker smirked and slightly shook her head. "Fine, fine you can tell me. I'll try not to be too sick."

Carly fluttered her eyes and placed a hand on her chest. "Thank you; you don't know how much I appreciate your sacrifice."

Sam smirked and narrowed her eyes on her friend, "Anything for you kiddo."

May 1980

Ruby wore a confident smile on her face as she strutted over to a particular lunchroom table without a lunch tray in her hand. As usual, some eyes followed her, but they knew if they stared too long she might gouge their eyes out. Beauty was to be appreciated, not to be gawked at as she walked past them and she had no problem reminding them of the difference if the situation called for it. She took a seat at the end of the table and across from the isolated teenager that sat quietly eating her lunch.

The artist was wearing a blue bandana today and she paid little notice to the girl who had taken a seat across from her. Ruby noticed the white bandage still covering the side of Taylor's face with a purple daisy sticker in the center. She wondered briefly how bad the slightly shorter girl was cut to have a bandage remain for a third day.

Ruby smirked as she greeted the girl, "Hello."

Taylor looked up from her homemade sandwich hesitantly and gave the girl a bewildered look.

The smirk on Ruby's face softened to small smile. "I'm Ruby and you must be Taylor," Ruby greeted the bandana wearing teenager with a surprisingly warm smile.

The brunette nodded hesitantly in response and took another bite out of her sandwich as she eyed the slightly curly raven haired teenage girl with dark eyeliner who was even paler then her.

"There's no need to be scared of me, I don't bite—much," Ruby replied with a smirk to the artist's hesitant look.

There was a brief look a fear that flashed in the artist's eyes and raven haired girl picked up on that in an instant. Ruby found she suddenly needed to clear her throat. "I'm just kidding. Steven and I have been friends for a long time and I just wanted to see how you were doing." Ruby saw the brief smile from the brunette at the mentioning of the long haired boy's name, but it quickly vanished and looked downcast at the lunch table when she mentioned about being friends for a long time. Surprising herself, Ruby found the need to say to the brunette sitting across from her, "I'm not his girlfriend if you're wondering." She then shrugged a shoulder to finish, "He's available… if that matters any to you."

Another brief smile formed on the artist's lips before taking another bite out of her sandwich to hide it.

The paler girl propped up her head with her elbow on the table and rested her chin in one of her palms. She used the hand to briefly cover her mouth so the artist wouldn't see her smirking at the other girl's reaction to that tidbit of information.

"So… are you doing alright?"

Taylor took a sip from her juice then nodded.

"Has Steven checked up on you? I know he wouldn't want anyone bothering you, but you'd have to let him know; he's a good guy underneath it all, but I'm guessing you already know that."

This time the brunette didn't react at all to the question, but staring straight at the raven haired girl.

Ruby snorted out a breath and grinned, "You don't speak much do you?"

Taylor smirked and shook her head. Ruby was just about to reply when Taylor suddenly broke eye contact and looked over the shoulder of the paler girl and saw three freshmen boys she knew from around school.

"You finally have someone to talk to Dorkman?" a blonde hair boy asked with venomous laughter and rested a hand on the raven hair girl's shoulder as he looked down at the artist. The two other boys with him joined in the laughing.

Ruby turned around in her seat and glared at the boy. He pulled back his hand like had just touched a hot skillet. Ruby stood up and looked straight into the boy's eyes just inches from his face. "Who in the hell do you think you are to touch me?"

He raised his hands up in surrender, "I'm sorry, I didn't—"

Ruby lifted a finger up to his face and lectured at him, "You didn't what? Mean to touch me? Do you feel up girls you don't know whenever you feel like it? You touch me again and I'll make it where you have to start using the ladies' restroom, because you won't have the equipment to go to the boy's restroom. Do you understand?"

He swallowed nervously and replied, "Yes."

She dropped her hand and nearly growled at him in response, "That's ma'am to you little boy."

"Yes ma'am," he babbled out.

She then looked to the other two boys. "What the Hell do you two find so funny? What makes you think you can just interrupt a conversation I'm having with someone? You boys better learn your place before I have to teach it to you."

The other two boys just shook their heads.

"Good, you two are thinking." She looked back to the first boy just about two inches from his face and whispered, "Now drag your sorry freshman rears out of here before I tell Steven Shay you're harassing her and he beats you down worst than Evan or did you idiots forget he did that?"

One of the other boys replied with fear evident in his voice, "We're leaving." The three turned and walked quickly away from the table as Ruby glared at him the whole time.

Once they were out of the cafeteria, Ruby took her seat back at the table. She snorted out in disgust, "Freshmen boys. Grabby horny little things."

Taylor laughed and Ruby found it surprisingly soothing and pleasant.

"You find that funny?"

Taylor nodded and wiped a tear from a watering eye.

"Because it's true?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

Ruby surprised herself by returning a genuine smile to the girl. "If anyone bothers you or you need anything or… need any _advice_ on anything, you just ask me, okay?"

Taylor blinked at who she thought was a strange girl. A few moments later she nodded her head as her answer.

"Okay then; have a nice lunch sweetie," Ruby smile then stood up and left the table.

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this installment. If you did, please leave a little review and let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: I hope you are enjoying this story. Thank you for the reviews and your readership. I hope everyone is enjoying the B-Plot of Steven and Taylor.**

Chapter 10

Steven found himself heading to the art room after school instead of meeting up with his friends and finding a way to kill the rest of the afternoon for a third day. He reached the door and found that Taylor was sitting in front of an easel as she did the first day he had shown up only this time wearing a blue bandana instead of a purple one. He briefly wondered how many bandanas she possessed and when she'd start repeating colors. He held back a laugh as he noticed that a stool was placed beside her as if she was expecting him.

She was painting on a larger canvas this time and appeared to just to be getting started on her painting. She had not only water colors set out, but various other pastels ready to add to her canvas.

"Hey," he whispered from the door.

She turned slightly to look at him and a smile instantly formed on her face.

The long haired boy laughed at her response and shook his head. "You know, I just keep finding myself back here after school. You don't mind do you?"

She shook her head and kept her smile. The brunette motioned with her head to stool on her right.

He walked over and around her to take a seat and looked at the just started painting. He looked to her with a raised eyebrow and asked, "So you're back to painting. What happen to the swan?"

She pointed with the end of her paintbrush to the table behind them. Steven turned and saw that the once brown clay swan was now painted white and apparently painstaking detailed.

He turned his head back and looked at her. "It's beautiful, but I shouldn't be surprised. It is a reflection of the artist that created it after all."

Taylor blushed and looked down.

Steven patted her knee for a moment. "Now you don't have to be embarrassed, it's only the truth and I'm someone that has very little use for bull."

She looked up at him with a bashful look.

He bumped his shoulder with her shoulder. "So what are you working on today? Another surprise?"

She smiled wide enough for the first time to see her teeth.

Steven chuckled and stated, "You can smile a lot easier now."

She nodded then kissed him on the cheek.

Steven cleared his throat and replied, "You're going to spoil me with your kisses."

The bandana wearing girl giggled for a moment before turning back and continued to paint. The artist started painting in a light blue color paint a line then over it slightly to widen it on the right side of the canvas. After a few moments she switched to using pastels. As she started coloring she wiped the side of her left cheek and smearing excess black pastel on her cheek. She started coloring and painting faster and seemed to tune out even his presence as she worked on her project.

After about an hour of painting and using pastels on the canvas, Taylor sat down her paintbrush and pastels and took a deep breath.

Steven just blinked at the image and looked at it in awe for a moment. The left side of the painting was filled with Christian imagery of Hell: fire and brimstone with vivid colors of red, orange and yellows made with watercolors with the stark contrasts of the pastel dark blacks to simulate soot and ash. On the right side of the painting, was made up of bright and vibrant white fluffy clouds and light colored blue paint that formed a river going off into infinity. At the bottom there was dirt road out of a sandy color that led up towards the top of the painting, but split off to either side of the painting.

He just looked at it and after a few moments or minutes, he really couldn't tell, he whispered, "Choices?"

She gave him a half smile and a surprisingly serious look in her eyes.

"You're saying we make choices? Heaven or Hell? Are you sure it is that simple? Have you ever heard the expression that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?"

Taylor gave him a slight nod, but from reading her eyes told him her thoughts on the matter.

Steven shook his head, "But you don't believe that do you?"

She shook her head no.

He narrowed his look towards her and the corner of his lips turned downward. "It's really that simple for you, isn't it? People do good or people do bad? What about people like me who just don't care to make a choice?"

She then did something that surprised the long haired boy: she smirked at him then laughed as in a way that he took to be as if she was laughing at an ignorant child's musing.

It took him a moment to process what that meant. He quickly brushed away the idea that she was insulting him, but after taking a few moments he realized something, "Even if I don't make a choice, I'm still making a choice aren't I?"

She nodded her head and lost the smirk to continue back to her original serious look towards him.

"I assume you're a fan of Rush and their song Free Will?"

She gave him a perplex look that just furled her eyebrows and made her bottom lip just barely past her top lip. He found it absolutely adorable. He didn't even realize he was doing it, but he lifted his hand up and tapped her nose. "Oh, my dear we are going to have to correct that. I think that you would love that song."

She just giggled and swatted away his hand playfully.

He joined her in the laughter a moment later.

Shay Apartment

"Hey, we're home from school!" Carly shouted out as she dropped her book bag beside the door and headed for the kitchen.

Colonel Shay and his father were at the kitchen table when the trio entered the apartment followed by Spencer.

Granddad Shay was first from his seat and approached the troop entering. "So how was school?"

"Great, Freddie asked me out on a date," Carly babbled out quickly.

"He did? Where to and when?" The eldest Shay then looked to Freddie, who in turned looked embarrassed and found the need to clear his throat from the sudden attention. Sam tried her best not to smirk from Freddie's discomfort and realized some habits die hard.

In an excited tone, Carly replied, "Friday after iCarly, he's taking me out to dinner, but I don't know where; it's a surprise."

Granddad Shay turned and gave his son a look of disapproval.

Shay chuckled then replied, "Sounds intriguing kiddo."

Carly smiled as she looked to Freddie for a moment. "I can't wait."

Freddie cleared is throat and slightly blushed from the attention.

Sam sighed heavily and with a lot of excess noise before asking Carly, "You're not going to be like this for the next three days are you?"

Carly eyed her playfully and gave her a half smirk. "I can be this excited because my boyfriend is taking me out. It's a girl's right. I've had to watch you get all excited about previous boys little miss daffodil girl."

Sam narrowed her look towards Carly and frowned.

Shay laughed. "Daffodil? That would have been interesting to see."

"Oh, no we are not talking about that," Sam stated firmly then headed for the kitchen. "I just want to eat."

Carly shook her head and snorted out a soft laugh. "Fine, but hurry up we've got to go out."

"Why?" Freddie and Sam asked simultaneous.

Carly smiled at the brunette boy. "No, it's just me and Sam. I have to go shopping."

Freddie furled his brow for a moment then realized what she meant before replying, "Oh… oh, okay."

Sam groaned, "Fine, I'll eat fast."

"'kay," Carly replied happily.

"Great, now I got to pay for more clothing," Shay replied with a sigh. He then looked to Freddie and pointed with a smile on his face, "I should bill you for that."

"Dad?"

Shay raised his hands up in surrender. "I'm kidding."

Carly then headed to the kitchen to grab a quick snake before heading out with her blonde friend. Shay then approached Freddie and pulled him off to the side, hopefully away from the ears of the girls and his father. "So where are you taking her?"

"It's a surprise," Freddie responded with a grin.

Shay smile and nodded his head. "Yeah, to her, not me." The Colonel then pointed to himself. "I'm the father and I need to know where you are taking my little girl."

"Oh right," Freddie replied hesitantly and as if he was in trouble.

Shay chuckled, "Oh right indeed, so spill."

"Okay, I'm taking Carly to…"

Shay Residence  
>May 1980<p>

Steven headed up to his room and scratched the back of his he reached the door of his room. He stopped immediately when he found that his room door was slightly jarred open. He clenched his jaw tight as the thought that his father was searching through his room.

He shoved open the door and began shouting, "Alright old man get—" He stopped when he saw a raven haired girl sitting on his bed propped up with his pillow against the headboard with her legs crossed and up with a sock covered heel digging into the mattress. She was reading one of his automotive magazines and had his headphones on and listening to his record player.

The brunette teenager blinked for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?" He doubted she actually heard him, but saw the movement of him entering the room.

Ruby looked over the top of the magazine and asked, "You really enjoy reading this?"

He spoke a little louder in hopes of speaking over the music that was playing. "It's a necessity. Why are you here?"

She pulled off the headphones down to wrap around the back of her neck and sat the magazine down beside her. "What?"

Steven let out a breath and asked, "What are you doing here?"

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I need a reason to come over and see my friend now?"

Steven closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment. He opened his eyes to look at her. "When you make yourself right at home in my bed, I think I deserve a little explanation."

In a flippant tone, she replied, "I got bored. Where have you been?"

"I was out and you're dodging my questions."

She chuckled and shook her head. "And you haven't been doing that for the last two days? But never mind that, you were just out?"

Steven took a seat on the edge of the bed and turned to look at her. "Yes that's right."

She gave him a smug look. "Okay, and here I thought you were coming back from seeing your little artist."

Steven snorted out a laugh. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Ruby lifted one leg off the other so she could sit up and sit cross-legged facing him. She still held that grin on her face as she replied, "Because I saw you leave yesterday with her on the back of your motorcycle."

"And how could you have possibly seen that? If it happened of course," Steven replied with a nod of his head, a narrowed look directed towards her and a half smirk.

"I gave Glenn some excuse that I needed to stay after school yesterday and that he should come back for me later. About an hour later I saw you and little Miss Dorfman ride off together."

"Maybe I was just giving the nice girl a ride home? I didn't know I needed your permission to give someone a ride."

Ruby lost her grin to falter into a thinned line of pursed lips and slightly focused eyes that he took to be accusing him of something. He was familiar with that look and knew it wasn't just her being mad and annoyed.

Steven sighed and shook his head. "I know that look Ruby. What is it?"

"Why are you giving me the run around?" She brought a hand up and poked the center of her own chest. "Me Steven, you're giving me the run around. I'm not Glenn or Bobby or Andréa, but me. Why can't you just talk to me?"

Steven released a breath and looked down at the bed. He closed his eyes a barely shook his head.

Ruby watched him for a moment before whispering, "I talked to her today at lunch."

His head immediately shot up and stared at her with none too sympathetic eyes. "Don't bother her. She's not one of those that deserve whatever you dish out on them. There are plenty of other people that deserve you sinking your claws into."

Ruby rolled her eyes and took a calming breath. "I wasn't bothering her. I just wanted to find out why she grabbed your attention and finally made you give a damn about something."

He blinked at her in surprise as she continued, "She seems like this sweet, innocent thing; you know, nothing like us."

"Don't put yourself down Ruby; don't ever do that."

She gave him a genuine smile as she replied, "You're still sweet Stevie, but I'm not putting myself down, just pointing out the difference."

He gave her a small smile. "She is different, but she's very nice."

"She seems that way," Ruby replied softly. She rubbed the side of one of her arms as she continued, "Is that why you're trying to date her?"

He laughed out dismissively, "I'm not trying to get with her."

Ruby laughed for a moment. "Then what have you been trying to do for the last three days?" She then shook her head and whispered softly, "The truth, please?"

He whispered in the most defeated tone she hadn't heard since his mother had died, "I don't know what I'm trying to do."

She blinked in surprise then reached out and placed a hand softly on his shoulder. She licked her lips for a moment before asking, "Why did you really fight Evan?"

"I saw him hit her and I just… I cared that it was _wrong_. I realized I couldn't just stand there and watch him get away with what he had just done. You're right: she's this sweet, innocent thing that didn't deserve that happening to her and knew she couldn't fight back. I think that's the reason I did it. You know that I don't care what Evan or the people like him do to others at school. If they don't want to be bullied, then they just need to grow a damn pair and fight back. If they don't care enough to protect themselves, why should I? It's not my place to fight their battles, but with her…"

He ran hand through his hair and just looked at the opposite wall.

She nodded her head sympathetically. "Why do you keep seeing her then?"

"I was hoping to figure out why she invoked that feeling the first day I saw her. If I got to know her, maybe I can figure out why, but now…"

"What?" she gently prodded.

He continued to stare at the wall as he answered, "I just want to see her."

She got up from her sitting position on the bed and rested her right forearm on his shoulder and wrapped her left arm around his other shoulder. She then rested her chin on her right forearm. The raven haired girl gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear. "I think this is your chance to be happy again my dear friend. Just accept it and give it a chance. You don't give a damn about others opinions now, don't in regards to what they would say about her now."

He replied in a cold and distant whisper to Ruby's ears, "What if she realizes how fucked up I really am?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I think she loves you anyway."

He turned his head slightly to look at her dark blue eyes and raised one of his eyebrows in confusion.

She gave him a smirk. "Call it a woman's intuition."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Shay Apartment  
>Tuesday, September 2011<p>

It was about a half an hour later when the three Shay men were left alone in the living room after Carly and Sam went off to go shopping and Freddie going home. Granddad Shay let out a breath and looked to his son. "Carly seems pretty smitten with him."

Shay chuckled and replied, "That's one way to describe it. She loves him as friend and—"

"Like you did with Ruby?"

Shay gave his father something he rarely did: a warm smile. "Yes, like Ruby, but the difference here is that Carly may be falling in love with him and I know he's in love with her."

"It's not their love I question as much as their judgment. If she cares about him this much, how do you know she won't decide to take after you when you fell in love?"

Shay sighed before replying, "Jumping the gun a little dad?"

"Am I? You got married at eighteen, over my objections. Would you just approve if she wanted to do the same? Or would you do what I did and try to talk you out of it."

"I don't know how I could do what you did with any serious credibility, but I would suggest they wait if it came to that, which I doubt will happen at the moment. Sheesh, they're still trying to figure everything out. They've been together as a couple for a week and you think they might run off and get married."

Granddad replied in muted surprise, "I'm glad to hear that, but why? Hypocrisy is not be a character trait I would describe to you son."

"Because Carly isn't Taylor and Freddie isn't me and… they probably have more time then we did."

Granddad blinked and his face fell as he realized what his son meant. "You knew even back then."

Shay shrugged a shoulder. "I was not blind to the possibilities. We just had to take our time in a hurry. I have no regrets."

The eldest Shay nodded with the reasoning. "What if they come to the same conclusion as you did?"

"If at eighteen, they decide to, it is their decision to make, not mine or yours. However, I don't think we are going to have to worry about that."

Granddad grumbled out, "I just don't want Carly to get hurt."

Shay shook his head slightly. "We can't control that in matters of the heart dad."

"You are right about that. I trust you to handle it."

Shay rolled his eyes. "Thanks, dad; your confidence in me is overwhelming."

His father sighed heavily, "It's always going to be like this between us isn't it?"

Shay nodded somberly then replied, "Until you learn that you don't have all the answers and not try and run other people's lives, especially my children's, yeah it will be."

Granddad let out an annoyed breath. "You are a stubborn boy Steven."

The Colonel grinned. "Yes I am and I hope you're just a well meaning asshole instead of just an asshole."

Granddad cleared his throat. "Well, I think it's time for me to be going."

"I'll see again dad," he replied with a detached look.

Greg Shay then walked up and hugged his son, "I love you son."

Shay patted his father on the back. "Well… the feelings… are still mutual."

Granddad pulled back and smiled at his son. He then turned to look at Spencer, "Spencer, I'll be back for another visit soon enough. Give my love to Carly."

"I will, see you granddad," Spencer replied with a nod.

He smiled back then turned to leave. The grayish white hair man then exited the apartment and pulled the door shut.

"I'm sorry dad," Spencer whispered.

Shay looked over his shoulder to look at his son. "Well, we make our own choices Spencer: neither one of us is willing to compromise nor I will ever do that when it comes to you and Carly. So, he and I will do this song and dance until he compromises or one of us is dead."

"That's pretty bleak dad," the artist stated in a hollowed tone.

Shay fully turned around to look at his son. "Unfortunately life can be that way."

Spencer looked to the floor and nodded. He looked up a moment later and started, "About you and mom—So that's the reason why you and mom got married so early: you didn't know how much time you two had, even back then?"

Shay shook his head. "No, that's the reason why she proposed. I said yes because I loved her."

Spencer's jaw dropped.

"At least your pants didn't fall down this time," Shay grinned and shook his head then chuckled, "Why are you so surprised at that possibility? You mother was one for being unconventional."

Spencer grinned. "You're right about that. Mom could be unconventional."

Shay smiled in return.

The doorbell rang and Shay lost his smile and sighed, "Haven't we had enough surprises for the week?" He turned and walked to the apartment door. He opened the door to see a light brown haired main in his mid-forties with a dark headed teenage girl.

The Colonel blinked before he questioned in surprise, "Barry?"

"Hey Steven!" Barry Dorfman shouted cheerfully with his usual plastered grin.

"Barry!" Shay shouted and opened up his arms and pulled the slightly younger man into a hug.

"How are you doing flyboy?"

Shay patted the younger man's back, "Doing great Doc."

He pulled away smiling and looked to the brunette teenager. He leaned down and hugged his niece. "Hey Faye."

She hugged him tightly back as she replied, "Hi Uncle Steven."

Shay pulled back and looked at his brother-in-law. "So where's Tess and Ozzy?"

"Ozlottis got another scab and Tess is making sure he doesn't pick at it. Tess also has an early day tomorrow, so she couldn't make the trip."

"I'm sorry I won't be able to see them, but with Ozzy, it's called a band aid Barry and a good slap on the hand."

"I can't do that," Barry chuckled.

"You wouldn't let him stick a fork into an electrical outlet. A good slap on the hand will do wonders."

Barry chuckled happily. "Whatever you say Steven." He looked to the younger Shay. "Hey Spencer."

Spencer smiled hesitantly. "Hi Uncle Barry," then looked to his cousin. "Hi Faye."

The brunette grinned and waved at him cheerfully. "Hi Spencer."

"So where's Carly?" Faye asked eagerly.

Shay smiled to his niece. "She's out with Samantha shopping. They should be back in a little while."

"Okay," she answered then took a seat in the black chair near the door.

He then looked to the Dorfman. "Barry, I found something you might enjoy. Follow me."

Barry raised an eyebrow intrigued by Shay's surprise and followed him up the stairs and to his bedroom.

Faye looked to her older cousin. "Spencer, is it true her and Freddie are together? I mean really together as in Creddie?"

"Ah yeah," he answered hesitantly.

"Rats," Faye responded by snapping her fingers and looked downcast.

"Rats? Why do you say that?" Spencer asked with a look of surprise.

"I can't ask him out if he's dating my cousin. That would just be wrong. I can't try and take her man, but if it was Seddie… that's another matter."

Spencer blinked in surprise.

She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I watch iCarly. He's cute and his Fredward Cullen is dreamy."

Spencer just blinked again.

The brothers-in-law entered the master bedroom and Shay motioned towards an arcade machine tucked into a corner. "They're not allowed to use my room for storage, but I made an exception for this thing.

"It's a Pak-Rat!" Barry shouted in surprise and a grin plastered on his face.

Shay walked over patted the side of the arcade. "Yes it is. Spencer found it in a junkyard and restored it, so it completely works. Supposedly he's the highest scoring player of all time, a million points or something."

Barry waved Shay off. "Amateur, but I haven't played this since—what? Thirty years?" Barry then approached the machine and looked over to see how well Spencer had restored the machine back to its former glory.

"Sounds about right. How many days that summer did we waste in the arcade playing this thing?"

Barry chuckled, "I don't know, but it was a lot."

"You still owe me a lot of quarters," Shay commented slyly.

Barry laughed, "I let you marry my sister. We're even Steven."

Shay chuckled and patted the younger man's shoulder. "Still funny Barry."

May 1980

Steven headed for the art room for a fourth day with what Ruby had told him running through his mind. He stopped at the door once again, but this time with a hesitant look on his face.

She was wearing a green patterned bandana today as she started on her next painting. He held back a smirk because it looked like she was painting someone that was painting a picture.

"You're here even on a Friday afternoon? Everyone else can't wait to get out of here for the weekend."

She turned her head to look at him and smirked.

He noticed immediately that the large white bandage was off her face and now just a normal band-aid. That fact brought a smile to his face. However, he didn't comment, but continued with his original thought, "But you're not everyone else are you?"

She shook her head and grinned.

The long haired teenager walked over and found his seat already set out for him. He took his seat and looked at the painting. "You're painting someone painting a painting?"

She nodded and smiled as she continued adding bright colors to the canvas.

He watched as she started adding other people watching the painter paint. The other people were painted abstractly, but appeared to be enthused at what they were watching.

"Is the painter you?"

She gave a small smile as she continued to paint.

"So you really want to be a great artist?"

She laughed softly at the question before nodding.

Steven grinned. "I already think you are a great artist, but I'm biased because I like you."

She stopped painting an instant after he said he liked her. She looked to him and blinked. It looked to him as a muted expression.

The content look he had on his face vanished when she looked at him. He swallowed nervously. "Ah… was I not supposed to say that?"

He felt a tension forming in his stomach as she continued to watch him or more accurately studying him with that muted expression. He shoved the tension down hared and spoke up, "If you want be to take it back, I'm _not_ going to: I _don't_ apologize for caring."

She blinked at the firmness in his voice and his look at her. The next moment she leaned over on her stool and kissed his cheek.

He grinned back at her. "So I guess you like me too?"

She smiled at him and look that shined in her eyes threatened to overwhelm his sense of being.

He sucked in a breath and released it along with his hesitation and fear. He smile to her and began, "Since it is Friday, I thought that maybe after you're done with your painting that we could go someplace before I took you home."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

Steven smiled as he asked, "Do you like pizza?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Well, I know this great little pizza place and was wondering if you wanted to grab some food before I dropped you off at home, my treat; unless of course you have to be home for dinner."

She shook her head no.

"Is shaking your head mean that you don't want to go or that you don't have to be home for dinner?"

She held up her two fingers.

Steven grinned, "Okay, pizza it is."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this installment. Thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed.<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope everyone is having a great Friday. Thank you to all that are reading and review. I appreciate that time you take to read this and my other stories.**

Chapter 12

About forty minutes later, Steven was holding the door open as Taylor entered first into the pizza place.

Steven glanced around and noticed some light brown haired teenager at least a few years younger than Steven and Taylor, being hassle by a few other teenagers about the same age as he sat at a video game cabinet table. The kid was dress kind of nerdy in Steven's estimation and looked like easy pickings for the other boys. He didn't pay it much mind as he approached a table so the pair could dine in.

Steven turned and started, "Okay, so what do you—" He stopped as he saw that she had disappeared from behind him. "Taylor?" he asked with evident concern in his voice as he looked in all directions to try and find her. He spotted her standing beside to the brown haired teenager's right with her arm around his shoulders and resting a hand on his left shoulder. One of the boys took a step towards Taylor with a look of anger evident on his face.

Steven walked up quickly behind Taylor pointed at the blonde boy and whispered coldly, "You need to take a step back from her."

He swallowed nervously and took a step back.

Steven got between Taylor and the younger teenager. "What's that problem?" Steven asked in a cold tone.

The younger boy motioned to the boy sitting at the video game. "Dorkman here won't get off the machine."

"What did you call him?"

"Dorkman, that's his name," he snorted out.

The light brown haired boy snapped back, "It's Dorfman, it's German."

Steven blinked for a moment then looked to Taylor. "Your little brother?"

Taylor nodded then pressed her lips on the top of Barry's head.

Steven nodded in return then looked back at the blonde teenager. He smiled briefly before he grabbed the younger teenager by the neck and slammed his face down onto the Pak-Rat cocktail. It wasn't enough force to really hurt him or damage the plastic cover, but it certainly got the teenager's attention. The young man's friends stood up and tried to approach to help their friend, but Steven turned his glare unto them and they hesitantly backed up.

The long haired teenager leaned down so that he could meet the fourteen year old's face pushed against the plastic covering and look in straight in the eyes. "Now, I'm going to take a leap here and say that you should be able to count numbers and read. From what I can read it says he has several credits left. Do you agree?"

The blonde hair kid nodded his head best he could with his face pressed against the machine. While staring at the frightened teenager, Steven reached into his own jean pocket to pull out some change and deposited a few quarters into the machine. The credit counter on the table cabinet blinked to higher values. "Now he has a few more, so why don't you and your friends go before you really piss me off and I have to ruin your night."

He swallowed nervous and replied, "Yeah sure."

Steven leaned in closer to whisper directly into the teenager's ear. "You or any of your buddies ever step towards Taylor Dorfman like what I just saw you doing; I'm going to break you worst than I did Evan Davis. Understood?"

He nodded wiping the side of his face against the plastic covering of the Pak-Rat machine.

Steven jerked his arm back and the younger boy flung backwards and landed hard on his behind. The long haired teenager looked at the two other teenagers. The three scrambled out of the restaurant as fast as they could, just avoiding knocking down a waitress.

Steven looked to the Dorfman siblings. "Not exactly how I wanted to start the night, but it was exciting."

Taylor smiled and the younger Dorfman boy laughed.

Steven looked to the younger teenager. "So, your name?"

"Barry Dorfman," he answered hesitantly.

With a slight nod of his head, Steven replied, "Steven Shay."

The younger teenager looked to his sister and asked, "Is that him?"

She nodded.

"So my reputation precedes me?" Steven asked with a grin.

"She has been talking about you all week, so yes," Barry replied hurriedly.

Steven chuckled and looked at the brunette. She instantly blushed and looked to the floor. Steven stopped his chuckling in an instant.

"What are two doing here?"

After clearing his throat and looking to Taylor, "I'm taking your sister out to eat."

Barry looked to his sister in surprise. "Are you two on a date?"

She blinked in response then looked to Steven with a hesitant look.

Steven looked to Taylor for a moment and he gave her a small smile. "If she says it's a date then it's a date."

She returned her answer with a big grin.

"I guess it's a date," Steven answered cheerfully.

Barry replied, "Okay, I'll be over here while you two eat." He looked to Taylor. "Dad'll pick me up in about an hour, so don't worry about me."

Taylor nodded hesitantly then kissed his forehead. She then pointed at the table that she and Steven would be sitting.

"I'll holler if I need anything big sis," he replied cheerfully.

She nodded and walked to Steven. She gently placed a hand and his arm and motioned her head to Barry.

He whispered to her, "I'll keep an eye on him." He then pulled out his wallet and a few bills to hand to her. "Order anything you want," he instructed with a smile.

She smiled and nodded then headed for the order counter. He watched her go for a moment as he put away his wallet. He then looked to Barry. "What do you call this thing?" Steven asked as he pointed to the machine.

Barry grinned and answered happily, "It's a new game they just released. It's called Pak-Rat."

Steven had a seat at the other side of the machine. "I'm more of a Star Invaders myself. So how do you play?"

After about twenty minutes of barely holding his own against Barry at the maze game, the pizza was ready for the pair. The couple took a booth on the other side of the restaurant from where Barry was playing his game, but allowed for Taylor to keep a line of sight on her younger sibling.

"He's kind of the nerdy type isn't he?" Steven asked after taking his first bit out of his pizza.

She turned her gaze back to the boy sitting across from her and pouted at him.

He looked back seriously at her. "It's an observation, not a judgment. I'm a snot nosed badass punk of a loser. That's what I am, not a judgment. We are what we are."

That seemed to placate her for the moment as she looked down at the table. She then reached over the table and gently grabbed his wrist. She looked straight at him and shook his head.

"What?"

She just continued to stare.

He sat his pizza down and lifted both hands up in surrender. "I'm not judging your brother."

She shook her head.

"You don't believe me?"

She nodded.

"Okay, you do believe me. If it isn't your brother we are talking about, then who?"

She let go of his wrist and pointed at him.

Steven sighed, "I am what I am Taylor."

She shook her head vigorously.

"You don't think I'm a loser?"

She shook her head and stared him straight in the eyes.

He swallowed down a lump in his throat. He was grateful he didn't have any pizza in his mouth or he would have choked on it. "Well, that was unexpected. I think my father would disagree with you. It's not everyday a pretty girl tells me I'm not a loser without speaking."

She rolled her eyes at him and giggled. After she stopped giggling, she took another bite of her pizza.

He smiled and shook his head. Steven then motioned his head over to Barry. "Do people bother him a lot?"

She sat her pizza down for a moment and nodded her head with a sad look.

He looked to her with dark eyes and a slight frown. "I'll make sure that stops. People will understand that he's off limits."

She did something unexpected to him: she mouthed 'thank you'.

Shay Apartment

Carly was grinning nearly ear to ear as she opened the door to the apartment with two shopping bags in her hands. Sam sighed in relief just thankful it was over.

"Hey Carly," Faye greeted her cousin in a cheerful tone as the web-hostess entered the apartment.

The brunette stopped dead in her tracks. "Faye?" Carly questioned in surprise at seeing her cousin in the living room.

Sam nearly bumped into Carly, but quickly side stepped around her friend. "The Dorfmans are here?" Sam questioned in dread.

"Just me and my dad," she eagerly answered.

She then looked to her cousin. She asked in a cheerful tone, "So Creddie really happened?"

"Yeah, we're ah, 'Creddie'," Carly replied hesitantly.

Faye hugged her cousin. "I'm so happy for you. I knew you'd come to your senses at some point."

Carly dropped her shopping bags on the floor then patted her back with a hand. "Thanks." She paused for a moment realizing how happy her cousin really was for her. "Thank you Faye."

The Dorfman pulled out of the embrace and raised a finger, "You better hold on to him though or I just might try for him."

Carly blinked at the statement. Now she had to worry about her own cousin trying to get with Freddie, but at least she had the decency to say she'd only try for him if they broke up. That possibility of breaking up instantly sent a dreaded feeling to the pit of her stomach. Before she could reply to Faye, the Colonel came walking down the stairs.

"Excuse me Faye." Not waiting for an answer, Carly immediately approached her father as he came down the stairs. She immediately grabbed a wrist and pulled him towards the kitchen. "Why are they here?" she asked when the two of them were in the kitchen and hopefully out of earshot of Faye. Sam followed the pair and Spencer joining right behind her.

"They wanted to see us while I was here?" Shay asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at his daughter.

"I'm gone then," Sam replied flippantly.

"Why?" Shay asked genuine confused.

"Carly's told me how they are and then I met them. I can understand why she hates them."

Shay looked to his daughter with a stated of shock on his face. "You hate the Dorfmans?"

"They're all goofy and weird and dorky and they have all these weird eating habits that drive us crazy," Carly replied defensively.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," he replied with a shake of his head. Shay raised a hand and pointed directly at Spencer. "You don't hate him and you just described Spencer to a T."

"Hey!"

Shay replied sharply, "It's the truth, you take after you mother more than you take after me." He then looked at both of them. "Do either of you have any idea how upset your mother would be if she heard you say that? That's her little brother and they were just as close as you two. As much as Spencer had to be a father to you, she had to be a mother to him." He then shook his head and looked to the floor. He took a calming breath just to get his temper in check and thought for a moment before looking back to Carly. "How would you feel if one day your children told you they hated Spencer's children?" He then looked to his son, "How would you feel if your children told you they hated Carly's?"

The siblings looked to one another for a moment shocked at the question then each shamefully looked to the floor.

"That's what I thought," Shay replied in disgust. "I don't care how goofy or dorky or weird you think they are; they are your flesh and blood and they have done nothing to either of you to deserve that kind of feelings from you. I will not put up with that attitude from either of you." He looked specifically to Carly and said, "I can still ground you until college." Then he looked to Spencer, "And I can throw you out." He looked at both of them now, "I would not put any of them before either of you, but they are your family and your mother would want you to love them as such. Barry and his family are _always_ welcome in _my_ home. Do I make myself clear?"

The both nodded hesitantly and replied with weak, "Yes."

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," Shay said sternly.

"Yes, sir," they both replied clearly.

"Good, now we are going to have a nice dinner with _our_ family. I will try and fix something they can eat while the rest of you fix whatever you want, okay?"

"Yes sir," Carly, Spencer and surprisingly Sam answered the Colonel.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Shay Apartment

About an hour later, after Shay finally pulled Barry away from the Pak-Rat game by unplugging it and explaining to Carly why Granddad Shay left, the Shays and Dorfmans were around the kitchen table. Shay looked to Barry across the table and stated, "I make no promises that your food is exactly to your specifications. You didn't give me enough lead time."

"One little time won't hurt if it isn't exact," Barry replied as he poured himself some green glop soup.

Sam tried to suppress a look of being sick at seeing the green mess of food. Carly and Spencer was far better at hiding it due to being use to it and having to make it a number of times.

"Glad you understand. I pride myself on my cooking skills, but you do have unique eating habits that I haven't cooked for in years."

Barry took a mouthful of the green glop of soup. After swallowing it and forming a big grin on his face, Barry replied, "Your cooking is always the best Steven."

Spencer asked cautiously, "So, Uncle Barry, you really like Pak-Rat?"

"I used to love it as a kid," he answered excitedly. "I got hooked on it as soon as it was released. They had one at the local pizza parlor then the local arcade got one."

"You were quite good at it as I remember," Shay spoke up from his 'normal' meal.

"That's how we met. I kind of interrupted your mom and dad's first date," Barry stated before digging back into his soup.

Carly's face lit up. "You have to tell us that dad."

Shay took a sip from his drink before replying, "There's not much to tell."

"Always the modest one Steven," Barry commented happily. "His date with my sister didn't end until the following afternoon."

"Dad?" Carly and Spencer asked at the same time. Faye looked just as surprised at the revelation.

Barry laughed. "You never told them?"

Shay cleared his throat then rubbed his chin. "There is a time a place to tell one's children when their parents fell in love, Barry. That time just never came up."

"I'll let you tell them that story someday, but how 'bout we get back to the beginning?"

"Fine then, you can tell them the beginning," Shay relented with a sigh.

"Yes," Barry answered cheerfully. "It was a late Friday afternoon and I was playing Pak-Rat at the pizza parlor. I was a freshman in high school and three of my schoolmates tried to start bullying me to get off the game. Your mother then came up from behind me, which was a happy surprise for me. They started mouthing off at her and who shows up a moment later? This long hair boy with an angry look on his face and looking like he was ready for a fight came walking up."

Shay laughed. "Well I couldn't exactly let your sister take on three to one odds now could I?"

"No, but that was an interesting solution you had."

"What was that?" Carly asked with a furled brow.

"Your dad almost bashed one of the guy's head onto the top of the machine."

Shay shook his head. "You're exaggerating just a little there Barry."

"So you didn't try and smash his head?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually, I had him get quite acquainted with the surface of the Pak-Rat tabletop. I got his and his friends' attention."

"By smashing his face onto it," Barry pointed out by raising his spoon and pointing it at Steven.

"Okay I smashed is face onto it, but I didn't really hurt him or damaged the machine. They got the message of not bothering the Dorfmans anymore."

"Wow, daddy Shay really was a badboy," Sam stated with a joyful tone then broke into a laugh.

"Well, love will make you do stuff," Shay offered lamely before taking another sip from his drink.

"That is the one thing you and sis never lacked between the two of you." Barry looked to Carly and with a big grin on his face he continued before Shay could say anything, "Speaking of love, so little Carly's found her love?"

"Ah, well…" Carly started, but got tongue tied and unable to form an answer.

Shay spoke up, "They're still working to get to that point. They are taking their time to be happy."

Barry smiled as he asked, "So she's being slower than her old man?"

Shay laughed and replied, "Don't you mean slower than her mother?"

Barry laughed loudly, "You're probably right."

Sam looked back and forth to each of the older men then asked, "I don't get it."

Shay took a breath and looked to Sam. "Samantha, my wife and I went from meeting each other to marriage in just over seven months. That's covering friends, dating, engagement and marriage. Then Spencer was conceived about two months after that."

Sam laughed. "You don't like wasting time do you?"

The Colonel replied in a somber tone, "We had to take our time in a hurry."

Sam blinked and looked to Shay that his answer just confused her. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"It means that time was never a luxury for me and Taylor. Some people think that they have all the time in the world, but some of us don't, so we have to make the most out of it as we can."

"That's pretty bleak," Sam answered in a sad tone.

"Life can be that way," Shay replied in a serious tone then reached over and covered one of Carly's hands with his and patted his son's shoulder with the other. "But it can be full of joy as well."

Barry raised his glass of some kind of organic drink, "Well said Steven."

Spencer looked to Carly and spoke up, "I just hope you don't follow in mom's footsteps then. I'm not ready to be an uncle."

"Spencer!" Carly snapped.

Shay blinked as he looked at his son. "They've been together for just over a week. Why is marriage being brought up?"

"You don't need to be married for that," Spencer pointed out hesitantly.

Shay narrowed his look at his son then spoke, "Spencer, irrational fear is making you say stuff that indicated really offensive premises you hold towards your sister. You may want to stop."

"I'll be quiet now," Spencer replied then clamped his mouth close.

Suddenly Faye piped up, "Can I tell people back at school that Creddie is real? Please? There's so much speculation on the message boards that it's driving people crazy. People are even arguing with people who say they go to your school."

Carly let out a breath and replied, "Yes you can."

Faye clapped her hands excitedly. After she calmed down for a moment, Faye asked, "I was wondering, if you were filming anything before the show, could I… I mean, can I appear on iCarly? Some people don't believe I'm even your cousin."

Shay leaned over to whisper to his daughter, "I think you can work your cousin into a skit. You work the Gibson fellow into them and it obviously would mean a lot to her."

Carly looked to her father and saw the seriousness look directed at her. It took her barely a moment to realize that he was right. She turned back and looked to her cousin. "How would you like to appear in the sequel to our original vampire skit, Moonlight Twi-Blood?"

Faye clapped her hands and smiled like a fool. "I would love to. All the girls at school are going to be jealous when I get to be in a scene with Fredward Cullen. I will be in a scene with Freddie right?"

Carly smiled warmly at her as she replied, "Of course you can be in a scene with him."

Faye reached over and hugged Carly. "Thank you."

Carly was surprised by the hug, but quickly patted her cousin on the back. "You're welcome Faye."

Shay smiled and shook his head slightly.

"We can celebrate with a song," Barry suggested then started singing happily, "Row, row, row, your boat, gently down the stream—"

Faye sat back down and jumped into the song a moment later, "Row, row, row, your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."

Sam groaned loudly and Carly shut her eyes and shook her. What surprised the two teens was when Shay quietly picked up, "Gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream…"

May 1980

Steven pulled to the curb in front of the Dorfman home, but instead of hopping off the back as usual, she motion for him to drive up in to the driveway. He gave her a raised eyebrow look, but she just motioned again. He shrugged a shoulder and pulled up in to the driveway. She then hopped off the back of the motorcycle and gently grabbed his wrist and tugged him to get off the bike.

"You want me to come inside?"

She nodded and smiled.

"Okay?" Steven answered hesitantly.

Taylor put away the helmet in the saddlebag as Steven got off the motorcycle. She then took his wrist and led him to the front door. The bandana wearing teenager dug into her jean pocket for a moment then opened the front door. Taylor entered first and dropped her backpack down beside the front door and headed deeper inside. Steven just stopped just inside the door and looked around at the expansive home.

"Wow. And I thought it was big on the outside," he whispered as he took in the openness of the home. To his right was a dinning room and to his left was a large parlor area. He took a quick glance to see it decorated with various military memorabilia; predominately US Air Force and US Army Air Force. He didn't have long to look as she grabbed his hand and led him to the stairs in front of them. The brunette teenager led the long haired boy up three flights of stairs to reach the third floor.

A few more steps later, Taylor led him to loft type open area that made up the majority of the third floor. She let go of his hand as he stopped at the threshold to the area. She passed by a small lamp table and started a music box playing. The soft melody of 'Row, Row, Row, Your Boat' started filling the room. The bandana wearing girl passed by a light switch and an overhead light came on illuminating the entire area. She walked to the center of the area and turned to him with a hesitant look on her face.

He caught his breath trying to take in all the sights and beauty of the room. Steven whispered in a nearly hallowed tone, "So this is your world Taylor Dorfman?"

She smiled warmly at him.

Shay Apartment  
>Tuesday, September 2011<p>

After finishing dinner, the three teenager girls were in Carly's room. The brunette was eager to show off the clothes that she had bought to wear on her date with Freddie on Friday night. Carly held up the dress against her front and looked to Sam and her cousin. "So what do you think?"

Faye was sitting at the end of Carly's bed and spoke almost giddily, "This is a really pretty dress. I know he's going to love it."

"You really think so?" Carly asked bashfully.

Sam piped up, "I told you in the store that the nub is going to love it. Then again you could show up in a worn out T-shirt and jeans and he'd still find you beautiful."

A knock from the bedroom door interrupted the 'girl talk'.

"It's Freddie!" Carly shouted in panic.

Sam asked perplexed, "How do you know?"

"I texted him earlier. We have to film Faye's scene before she has to leave, remember? Just stall him," she instructed as she tried to hang the dress back up.

"Carly?" Freddie called out from the other side of the door.

"You two put the dress away, I'll stall," Faye offered as she stood up and headed for the door.

An instant later Faye opened the door slightly and smiled at Freddie. "Hi Freddie."

Freddie blinked in surprise and hesitated at seeing Faye again. He finally formed words a moment later, "Hi Faye, is Carly in here?"

Faye grinned as she replied, "Yes."

"Can I come in?" Freddie asked hesitantly.

Faye looked over her shoulder, but made sure to block Freddie's view into the room. She turned back to face him and answered, "I'm stalling you."

"Stalling me? Why?"

"If I told you why I was stalling you that would kind of undermine my ability to stall you, wouldn't you think?" she asked him as he was the one being silly.

"I guess that makes sense?" Freddie questioned with a raised eyebrow.

The pair then heard Carly's voice shout out, "You can come in now Freddie."

Faye stepped aside and allowed Freddie inside. He immediately smiled as he saw Carly. "Hey."

"Hi," she replied just as softly.

Sam rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for this lovey dubey. We have a scene to film."

"Sam wanting to get to work? What a day," Freddie spoke cheerfully.

"Watch it nub," Sam warned.

The smile immediately left Freddie's face as he replied, "Or what?"

"Off to the studio," Carly interrupted before Sam could reply. She grabbed Sam by the arm and then Freddie's as she pass him on her way out the door. Faye was right behind them eager to get started, but curious about what she just saw.

Once they reached the iCarly studio, Freddie said, "Give me a few minutes to get into make up and we'll be ready."

"I'll double check the equipment," Sam offered half-heartedly.

Freddie replied hesitantly, "Thanks."

"Well… go get ready," she shooed him away.

"Right," he answered then went off to the bathroom.

Faye pulled Carly off to the side and asked, "What was that about?"

Carly took a deep breath and looked away for a moment. After releasing the calming breath she looked back to Faye. "They're… they are still working out… something."

"Okay…"

"It's something personal between them okay," Carly hesitantly answered.

"Okay… it's not Seddie is it?"

Carly blinked to the question before forming words. "No, it's something else. There is no Seddie."

"Good, you just got your man and I wouldn't want you to lose him. Unless it's to me," she finished with a smile a poke of her elbow to Carly's side.

"I'll remember that," she replied with a genuine smile.

About fifteen minutes later of Carly going over a quick rewrite of a scene for the skit with Faye, Freddie walked back into the studio in full Fredward Cullen make up and dress. "Are we ready?"

Faye clapped giddily then looked to Carly, "All the girls at school are going to be jealous. Thank you Carly."

She smiled warmly at her cousin. "Not a problem Faye."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed today's installment. See you again on Monday. Have a great weekend.<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: I hope everyone had a good weekend. I hope you enjoy this next installment. Thanks again for reading and reviewing.**

Chapter 14

"That's all for this episode of iCarly. I want to thank my cousin Faye Dorfman for being a good sport in her appearance in our short film, Moonlight Twi-Blood Two. Sorry you got tied up by the cowboy and attacked by a pack of angry plush squirrels. I love you cousin," Carly finished with a big smile looking into the camera.

"Before any of you say anything, it's _Dorfman_, it's _German_. But Faye, that's what you get for going after Idiot Farm Girl's man," Sam finished with a smirk. "Now we have to get going so Carly here can get ready to go out on her date with Fredaldo."

"Sam!" Carly snapped in surprise and her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

Sam raised an eyebrow and smirked as she looked into the camera, "The people have a right know."

"Bye!" Carly said curtly and covered the camera lens with her hand.

"And we're clear," Freddie announced after a quick button push.

Carly dropped her hand from the face of the camera and looked to Sam. In a stern, yet surprised voice, she asked, "Sam?"

Sam smirked as she jokingly replied, "I'm just having a little fun. The fans are going to go nuts. Hey, maybe we can attach a camera to one of you and feed it directly to the site. Imagine how many viewers we'd get watching you two out on a date."

"Absolutely not!" Carly replied in a panic.

Sam pouted, "Killing all my fun."

Freddie shook his head as he laid his camera down on his tech-cart and doubled checked his laptop. He wouldn't dare admit he found Sam's idea at least a little bit intriguing. He looked to Carly and spoke, "I'm heading out."

"Okay, I'll see you in about forty-five minutes?"

"Yep," Freddie replied with a smile then kissed her on the cheek. He then dashed out of the studio.

Sam just smirked and shook her head. "Okay kiddo, let's get you all dolled up for your date."

Freddie released a nervous breath and hoped that he looked good as he stood just outside the Shays apartment door. He wore a similar blazer jacket he did at the Girls' Choice Dance with very dark blue jeans and a dark blue button up shirt. He took one last breath before knocking on the Shay door. Almost immediately he was greeted with the face of Colonel Shay. The Colonel smiled at the young man and answered, "Mr. Benson."

"Mr. Shay," Freddie replied nervously.

Shay stepped aside and motioned for Freddie to enter. Freddie looked nervously around the living room and greeted Spencer sitting on the couch watching television.

"Carly is finishing getting ready," Shay offered as an explanation.

"Okay, that's fine. The guy should always wait for the lady," he replied as if something was lodged in his throat and sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Smart man, but you seem kind of nervous son," Shay chuckled.

Freddie shook his head, "No not at all."

Shay just smiled.

"Okay, I'm terrified," Freddie let out in a quick breath.

Shay patted him on the shoulder. "It's alright."

"Do you have any advice?"

Shay chuckled for a moment. "You know I'm _her_ father right? The guy doesn't usually ask the girl's father for advice on dating."

"Well you're the one that keeps calling me son and I haven't heard you call anyone else that, but Spencer that," Freddie pointed out with far more confidence than he felt.

Shay lifted a finger at Freddie. "It took you nearly three weeks to notice that?"

It was Freddie's turn to grin and reply, "No."

Shay chuckled for a moment before answering, "Okay, my advice: don't screw up."

"Don't screw up?"

"You just have to be yourself. You can't be anyone or anything else. She has to like you—has to love you for who and what you are, not what airs or act you can put on in the hopes of impressing her."

Freddie nodded.

Shay then gave Freddie a soft punch to the shoulder. "Besides, you already threw yourself in front of a truck. What more could you do to impress her?"

Freddie smiled. "I see you point." After a moment, something caught his attention on the coffee table.

"What's that?" Freddie pointed to a handgun and cleaning kit lying on the coffee table.

"Oh, that's my sidearm. I was just going to do some cleaning tonight,"

"Any particular reason you're choosing tonight?"

"Nothing to do with you if that is what you are thinking," Shay replied in a serious tone.

Freddie swallowed nervously. "Right."

Before the conversation could go any further, the three gentlemen's attention was drawn to the stairs. Carly walked down slowly the stairs in her black high heels. Her hair was straight with just the lightest application of makeup to highlight her cheeks. She was wearing a black dress that flared down from her waist to her mid-thigh with three layers. Two black straps crisscrossed over just below her neck and attached to the bust of the dress at her cleavage. The crisscross strap led one's eyes to the purple butterfly pendant hanging around her neck.

She looked to Freddie with a smile and whispered, "Hi."

Freddie just stood there for a moment unable to speak as he looked at her.

Carly blushed and brushed some her hair behind her right ear.

Shay smiled and Spencer clamped his mouth shut in surprise.

"How do I look?" Carly finally asked in a soft tone.

Spencer attempted to answer, "Ah, maybe a little—"

Shay interrupted his son with a smile, "You look absolutely beautiful my little angel."

"Thanks dad," she answered beaming a smile.

Freddie was finally able to form words and spoke, "He stole the words right out of my mouth."

Carly walked down the rest of the steps with Sam behind her holding a black leather jacket and small black purse. "You're pretty handsome yourself," Carly replied as she approached Freddie. The tech producer just smiled at the compliment.

Sam rolled her eyes as she watched the pair stare at one another without speaking. "You two just can't stare at each other all night. You have to get going."

That snapped them the pair out of the mutual admiration for one another. "Right," Carly spoke up. "We have to go."

Freddie cleared his throat and agreed, "Right."

Carly turned to Sam and she handed Carly her jacket. The brunette she quickly slipped in on black leather jacket that went a few inches past her waist and pushed the sleeves up just below her elbows. She then took her purse from the blonde.

The couple then turned and headed out of the apartment.

Shay spoke up, "I do have something to say before you go."

They both turned to the Colonel as they were both halfway out the door.

"Yes dad?"

"Have a nice night," he replied warmly.

Carly walked back over and kiss her dad on the cheek. "Thanks dad," she replied happily then she and Freddie were out the door.

A moment later the door opened and Mrs. Benson stepped inside.

"What are you doing here Marissa?" Shay asked in short tone.

"My Freddie is going out on his date and I am not waiting up all night by myself."

Shay sighed. "Fine Marissa."

She immediately took a seat on the couch and quickly noticed the firearm sitting on the coffee table. "Is that a gun?" Mrs. Benson asked half frightened.

"Yes Marissa," Shay answered with a hint of annoyance.

"Why do you have it?"

Shay blinked at her. "I'm in the military remember?"

"Oh, right."

May 1980

Steven slowly walked down one side of the room as he took in the sights. It was an entire room, no almost an entire floor dedicated to the creation of art with various tools and supplies for its creation strung all over the place. What took up the surrounding walls were various paintings, colored drawings, and black and white sketches hung on the wall or on easels and he took a moment to look at each one. Some where portraits of people he didn't recognized: men, women, babies and children; others were still life; one painting was some nightmarish depiction of Hell with goules and demons he could hardly fathom coming from Taylor's mind; another painting looked like a depiction of the Garden of Eden in vibrant paints and pastels. He continued around in the half circle to the opposite side of the room, looking at more paintings and sculptures and for some reason, various types of telephones. Some sculptures were made out of clay, others metal, one was a six foot tall statue made out of glass soda bottles.

He finally stopped walking when he reached his original position at the end of the room. He lifted up his hands from his sides and spoke, "This is you. All of this is you?"

She smiled slightly at him and nodded.

He pointed to one black and white sketch of a little girl standing alone and stated, "This is what you're afraid of." He then started pointing to various other paintings and sculptures. "This is what you love or hate or laugh about or cry about or dream about. It's all you." He shook his head and looked at her in complete astonishment.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders then turned and walked to the other end of the room. There was a sleeping bag and a radio/alarm clock sitting on a table at the end of the room and she took a seat cross-legged on the top of the sleeping bag facing him.

"This is your own little world to escape to," he whispered in which she smiled warmly back to him. He slowly walked across the room and knelt down on both knees in front of her. He just watched and studied her for a moment as the music box played the 'Row, Row, Row, Your Boat' melody.

"So this is your way of telling me about yourself?"

She nodded with a small smile.

Steven let out a nervous breath before asking, "Why won't you talk to me?"

The brunette took a quick breath and stared at him for a moment. It was the strangest look to Steven and the closest he could describe it was utter sadness. He didn't have a clue why the question would get that kind of response from her.

She slid her left hand up and took a hold of her bandana and pulled in down and away from her head finally exposing the rest of her brunette hair. She then looked down at the floor and in a bashful and quiet tone, and to Steven's ears, a sweet voice, Taylor began, "Row, row, row your boat… gently down the stream… merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream…"

She then looked up at him with a slight frown and sad eyes. "…and I don't want to wake up, because when I speak, I'll wake up and you'll be gone."

Steven took a deep breath. "Why would you think that?"

She looked down into her lap, not being able to hold eye contact with him and whispered, "Because I'm abnormal; I'm not like other people. I'm just odd. You wouldn't want to stay with me if this is all real."

He reached over and slid his hand into one of hers and used the other to lift her chin gently for their eyes to meet. "Taylor, I would describe you extraordinarily unique and I don't want to leave you."

She blinked in response and tried to speak, but the words wouldn't form. So she did the most logical thing she could do: she reached up with her free hand and slipped the other one out of his hand to cup both sides of his jaw and run her fingers behind his neck and through his hair. She then pulled him close and leaned forward to capture his lips with her own. He was momentarily caught by surprise by her forwardness, but then leaned into her kiss.

Her hands let go of the back of his neck and cheeks and her arms slid behind his neck as she deepened the kiss. He in turn wrapped his arms around her lower back as the pair softly traded dominance in the kiss. Her lips were soft and he could taste the peppermint flavor from the mint she had eaten after her pizza less than an hour ago. To him, it was innocent, tender, desperate and erotic all at the same time. The kiss broke apart for a moment then resumed in a series of quick trading kisses. After what seemed like hours, but more likely lasted about a minute, each rested his and hers forehead on the others.

Steven smiled. "You're still not much for words are you?"

She giggled for a moment before answering, "I think that was far more illuminating about how I feel than I could ever put into words."

Steven smiled then kissed her cheek then her forehead. "I don't know how to care like that back; I am really messed up Taylor."

She took both of his cheeks in her hands and forced him to look into her soft brown eyes. "You are a trouble, broken young man, but with a kind heart and good person that's still buried underneath all the pain and anger and apathy to the world you feel. I see that and I think it's beautiful."

Steven felt his throat constrict and the need to clear it as eyes felt moist. "Do you know what I see about you?"

She shook her head then with the pad of her thumb wiped away a tear threatening to fall.

"I see a beautiful girl with a kind and caring heart; that carries herself with a grace many would envy and a free spirit that defines her own normal."

She smiled again and pulled him towards her for another kiss.

September 2011

The car pulled up to one of the last places Carly expected and her surprise was evident on her face which just brought a smile to Freddie's face. "We are here," Freddie announced with a hint of joy in his voice. He turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car. Freddie walked around and opened the passenger side door for Carly.

He held out his hand, "My lady?"

Carly blushed and took his hand to help her out of the car. Once she was out of the car, he hooked his arm with hers. Freddie tossed his keys to the valet who smile and nodded as he passed. Carly looked up to see the Seattle Space Needle.

Freddie leaned in and whispered to Carly, "Well, your dad said you were a little angel, so I guess it is appropriate to take you up to the clouds. Okay, just a little closer to them."

Sky City Restaurant

Seattle Space Needle

It was a short elevator ride to the restaurant with a promise of another one to the observation deck later. The pair was escorted to a booth with a clear, unobstructed view of the outside. After a quick thank you to the escort, Freddie offered to take Carly's jacket as she brushed her skirt down to slide into the booth seat. She tried her best to keep the giddy look off of her face as Freddie slid into the seat opposite to her.

She took a moment to look out the window to her left to see the lighted night Seattle Cityscape slowly rotate. She subconsciously knew that it was her rotating and not the city, but she thought it was a breath taking sight. "This is beautiful Freddie."

"I know," he replied looking straight at her.

She looked at him for a moment and blinked.

Freddie grinned. "Oh, you meant the view. I'm sorry… actually I'm not sorry. I think you are beautiful. I have always thought you were beautiful and I'm not going to waste any more opportunities to tell you."

Carly looked down at their table and blushed.

The young female waitress approached the table and offered the pair menus. Each took their respective menus and began to skim over the options. It didn't take Carly a moment to realize the steepness of price for anything she would order. "This is pretty expensive Freddie—"

"I know, but let me treat you this one time? Please?" he asked with his best puppy dog face.

"Okay," she whispered then looked back down at her menu.

After a few moments, each placed their orders and the waitress took back their menus.

Carly looked back at the slowly rotating landscape and whispered, "My parents' first date was in a booth. They went to a pizza place."

"Really? I'm glad we didn't break tradition about the booths," Freddie replied with a laugh.

Carly gave a small smile and looked out the window again. "My Uncle Barry said the date didn't end until the following afternoon."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "That's… interesting?"

"He didn't go into any details and my father wasn't too eager to add any, but dad let it slip that it was the moment they fell in love with one another."

"Falling in love after the first date?" Freddie asked hesitantly then grinned. "I did it in an instant."

Carly giggled then after a few moments realized that it wasn't that funny. Her face fell and she suddenly found the white tablecloth interesting. She didn't think that he fell in love with her was a joke, but realized that they weren't her parents and she couldn't honestly answer the question about 'being in love' with Freddie.

Freddie reached across the table and gently took one of her hands. She looked up and saw him looking directly into her eyes. Her breath hitched as she saw the look he was giving her: one of complete acceptance and love. "But you take all the time you need. I'm not in a hurry."

"What?"

He repeated hesitantly, "I said take all the time you need."

She quickly replied, "No, the other part."

"I'm not in a hurry?" he asked in soft and somewhat frightened tone.

A thought instantly ran thought her mind: _We had to take our time in a hurry._

"My father said that he and my mom had to take their time in a hurry… am I just being stubborn in not saying those three little words and meaning them?"

"I think I know you best, but even I can't answer that question," he replied with a shake of his head. "What I do know is that we aren't our parents. We have to figure out what is best for us. I know that I love you. I don't have any doubts and you're still trying to figure it out. I think you should just let it happen when it happens. If you have doubts, don't ignore them or belittle them. I think you should deal with them and I'm right here to help if you need me. That's why we broke up to begin with: I wanted it to be real and I know you want it to be real too."

She smiled warmly at him. "When did you get so wise Freddie Benson?"

"I think it was when I realized for the second time that you were still the girl I love."

"And you're the boy I like in the good way," she replied with a beaming smile.

"That's a start," Freddie laughed joyfully.

A moment or so later the waitress approached the pair with their respective meals.

Shay Residence

"Do you have to keep doing that?" Mrs. Benson asked from the seat beside Shay. She had been watching something on Discovery Health Channel as Shay sat beside her on the couch continuing to clean his Para-Ordnance P14-45.

"What?" Shay asked as he took apart the slide and barrel away from the .45 and started cleaning both pieces for the fifth time.

"That," she pointed. "You've already cleaned that five times."

"I don't complain how often you clean inside your home and besides, my life could depend on this weapon functioning properly."

"That's not why you are doing it," she challenged with a stern look.

Shay looked to Mrs. Benson with an irritated look. "Then why am I doing it?"

"You're nervous too."

Shay sighed. "Fine I'm nervous, but I have a right to be as a father. She's my little girl."

"You don't trust Freddie?"

In a tired breath he replied, "It is her I'm more concerned about."

"Why?"

He sat the half-assembled firearm back on the table and turned to look at the brunette. "She likes your son, but she is not in love with your son yet and that troubles her to a certain extent. She hasn't talked about it, but I know it is true. I just don't want her to attempt anything to convince herself that she is in love. She jumped into a relationship with him before convinced she loved him like that."

"You compared our children to saints and had no problem with them being alone in her room. Why the sudden change?"

"Because there is a difference in being in her bedroom after school and out on a romantic dinner and maybe I'm just having a little irrational fear as a father of a teenager girl."

Marissa took a breath then patted Shay on the shoulder. "Steven, I trust Freddie to keep them both out of trouble."

"Trouble? What a euphemism."

Mrs. Benson found herself laughing before asking, "This coming from a man who had is first child at eighteen?"

Shay chuckled in return. "We were married when Spencer was conceived. The first time me and Taylor made love was on our wedding night. We were both old fashion: if you are going to have sex with somebody, do it within the confines of marriage. If you don't, that's your business and none of ours, but don't judge us for getting married at such a young age instead of just having sex and moving in with one another after high school."

She looked at him astonished for a moment before nodding in reply. "I see your point. I just don't necessarily follow in your and your late wife's footsteps, especially with a baby."

"I understand that Marissa and for the most part agree, but I'm not afraid of her getting pregnant eventually, just not with in the next few years. I'm terrified that she _couldn't_ carry a baby to term anytime soon. Look at her, she is pretty slim and her mother had problems carrying both her and Spencer, because she was similar size along with some other factors. Do you want to lose a potential grandchild?"

Marissa pointed to the firearm on the desk. In an urgent tone, she asked, "Teach me how to clean that safely."

Shay smiled. "Okay, it really is relaxing," he replied as he began to field strip the weapon.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door echoed into the room.

"That can't be them," Shay whispered as he got up from his seat. He took a quick look through the peephole and opened the door.

"Colonel Shay," the young woman replied and saluted. She was a quite an attractive young woman in her late twenties with dark brown hair put up in a bun. She was in her Class A US Air Force uniform and wearing a long overcoat.

He returned the salute and whispered in surprise, "Captain James?" His tone turned to one of great concern before the young captain could reply, "Has something happened?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. I'm just here to deliver a message from General O'Neill. He wanted to make sure it was delivered to you personally." She then pulled out a manila envelope and handed it to him.

He quickly took it and read the stamp in red ink: URGENT He quickly opened the envelope and quickly skimmed over the letter and a small smirk formed in the corner of his mouth.

"Good news sir?"

He looked up at her and replied, "Yes, Captain, but I have to share it with my children first. You understand?"

"Of course sir," she replied with an equally warm smile.

Shay turned and motioned into his apartment. "Would you like a refreshment or need anything else?"

She shook her head. "No, sir. I was just going to turn around and catch a redeye back to DC. There is a transport plane leaving within the hour."

Shay nodded. "Then have a safe journey Captain."

"Thank you sir," she replied and saluted once again. He returned the salute and the young Airman was on her way.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sky City Restaurant

"I still don't get the sandpaper," Carly laughed after swallowing a morsel of her chicken. After the waitress had brought their meals the conversation had turned to one of silly and random topics.

Freddie took a sip of his ice tea then gave her a grin. "It's just different types I use. The right tool for the right job."

Carly raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Freddie laughed, "Fine, but I don't see how it is any worst than you being concerned with titanium bra hooks and glow in the dark straps or your obsession with all the different types of cupcakes that exist."

Carly's mouth quickly puckered like a fish.

Freddie laughed heartedly at her reaction.

"That's not funny Fredward Karl Benson," she pouted as she stuck her fork into the chicken.

With a raised eyebrow, Freddie asked, "So my full name is going to be your way of telling me that I'm in trouble? I'm glad that we have established that in our relationship."

She just kept her mouth shut and wide eyed before slipping out, "Maybe."

Freddie just smiled and shook his head slightly at her antics. "Maybe? My name or the fact we've established something new in our relationship?"

Carly broke into that grin he loved so much and replied, "Maybe."

Freddie leaned back in his chair. "Maybe? Do you want to know something that I know is not a maybe?"

Carly took a sip from her drink and replied with a smile, "I'd love to."

"I know for sure that I love your cupcake obsession, especially when I can eat them. Baking is one of your great talents."

"You love my cupcakes, but not my special lemonade?"

Freddie squinted one eye and tilted his head to the side as he made a sucking sound through his teeth. "It's just a little too sweet for me. I need a little bit of the sourness to remind me that it is lemonade, but I do love your blue tea."

"You love my cupcakes and blue tea… I think that's fair enough, but would you answer something for me?"

"Anything," he happily challenged her.

She pushed her plate forward and placed an elbow on the table to hold up her head with her chin in her palm. "What other talents do you think I have?"

Freddie placed his elbows on the table to support his head with his hands and leaned forward. "You have a great talent to make people laugh. I know you can always bring a smile to my face. You have the talent to get people to give their best, even Sam and her laziness is no match for you." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I love your talent of making me fall in love with you all over again with a simple gesture or smile or phrase."

She just froze and looked at him. The occasional blink the only thing that broke her eye contact for less than a moment. The same feeling she felt in her bedroom Monday afternoon with him formed once again in her stomach and she felt as if she was falling again.

The brunette suddenly blurted out in a whisper, "I like your talent of being honest with out being afraid."

Freddie smiled in return. "Oh, at first it was just that I didn't know any better than about not being afraid, but now… I can't let fear get in the way of being happy. I'm happy right now and I hope I'm making you happy too."

She nodded with a small smile playing on her lips before replying, "You do make me happy."

Observation Deck

Space Needle

After a short elevator ride up together, the pair reached the observation deck of the Space Needle. Surprisingly, there were only and handful of people up here tonight, allowing for a certain level of privacy for each of the attendees. The wind was pretty breezy and Carly thought for a moment that her mid-thigh high dress was not the best for her legs at the moment as she felt the goose bumps form on her legs; all that was forgotten when she saw the night cityscape. She quickly led Freddie by a laced fingered hand towards one of the telescopes dotted around the circumference of the observation deck and away from the rest of the people.

She regretfully had to let go of Freddie's hand to take a look through the complementary telescopes in order to view the city. "Oh my God… I didn't realize how beautiful the city could look. You can't see the stars, but… my God, I think I can hardly breathe."

After a moment to actually catch her breath, she whispered, "The last time I had a view like this was hanging off the window cleaner's platform."

Freddie wrapped his right arm around her waist and laid his chin on her left shoulder. He whispered into her ear, "That was absolutely terrifying for me."

She left go of the telescope with her right hand and slid it down to cover his hand on her abdomen. With the gentlest of grazes of her fingertips, he realized to open his fingers to allow the two of them to lace their fingers. She looked into his eyes and saw his fear and her own reflected in them.

Freddie whispered, "I don't know what I would do if I truly lost you Carls. I don't mean in being in a relationship. I mean you not being _here_ in the world."

"I don't want you _not_ being in my life either. I don't know how my dad deals with not having my mom."

"Carly, how ever this turns out between us, I am not ever going to walk away again—"

She lifted up a finger to cover his lips. "I'm not going to let you walk away… however this turns out for us. You and I are stuck together one way or the other." She reached up and cupped his cheek. She leaned in those last few inches so her lips could meet his lips. Their lips seemed to meld with one another and fall right back into a loving routine as if by muscle memory from a year and a half ago. After a few moments slipping into their own little world, the pair's lips broke apart so that the two teenagers' could catch their breaths. Yet they were still so close that each of their breaths would tickle the lips and nose of the other.

Carly licked her bottom lip to taste Freddie's lingering taste then her top lip, but the tip of her tongue brushed across Freddie's top lip. He tilted his head back up to catch her lips again, figuring it was a signal to continue. Carly was not up for complaining as their tongues started getting involved in their kissing.

Carly cleared her throat and caught her breath as she felt her cheeks feel hot. She then caught Freddie staring at her. "What?" she asked in a surprisingly horse voice, then immediately cleared her throat.

"Sorry, you just look a little flushed in the cheeks," Freddie whispered bashfully.

Carly grinned wickedly at him as she dabbed her bottom lip with a pinky. She then replied, "I wonder who could have caused that."

Freddie cleared his throat with a look a near panic on his face. He looked down to his watch. "Oh, look at the time."

She glance at his watch and realized it was getting pretty late. She looked up to him and asked, "Think we should be going?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I hate that the night is over."

She smiled and replied, "Me too." She then kissed him on the cheek.

It was a peaceful ride in the passenger side of the seat as the brunette rested her head on the head rest and watched Freddie drive them home. A small smile played on her lips as she watched Freddie concentrate on his driving yet seemed totally relaxed. After driving for a few minutes, Carly realized that they were taking a round about way to get back to the apartment. "Ah, Freddie? Isn't there a faster way to get home? Not that I'm complaining."

Freddie smiled and spared her a quick glance. "Yes there is, but I have one more surprise for you tonight."

Carly tilted her head to the side to the opposite of the headrest and gave him a half smile. "Freddie, you have already done too much. I know what you've just did for me had to be over hundred dollars already."

Freddie smirked. "Maybe, but I still have one more thing to complete our night."

"Okay, what is it?"

"You'll see," he replied as he turned the corner when the green light signaled. He slowed as he approached a familiar place.

The web-hostess quickly realized where they were stopping. "Freddie, they're closing,"

"Are they?" he replied with a glint of mischief in his eyes as he pulled the car up to the curb. He turned off the ignition and winked at Carly before getting out of the car. He walked to the front of the front door and poked his head inside for a moment. The brunette teenager then came back and around to the passenger door and opened it.

Out of second nature, Carly took his offered hand. She quickly looped her arm around his arm and he led her to the front door of the Groovy Smoothie. Freddie pushed open the door for the pair and into the empty store except for the grinning African-American with a purple bandana over his dreadlocks behind the counter.

Carly asked with a curious tone to the manager, "I thought you were closing?"

"Well, Freddie here gave me a call," T-Bo waved her off, "and you can figure out the rest."

Carly looked to Freddie with a questioning look.

"He said he'd stay up open late for us, of course for a small nominal fee," Freddie replied with a grin. He then motioned his heads towards T-Bo. The gentleman then pressed a button on a remote control and the stereo system started playing.

_I can be fragile, I can break in two._

"Is that?"

"Yes," Freddie replied with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. "I know it's predictable, but…"

Carly covered her mouth with both of her hands.

Freddie offered her his hand. "Would you care to dance?"

She dropped her hands from her mouth and echoed herself from two years ago, "Absolutely."

Carly took off her leather jacket and draped it across one of the tables. She then stepped to him and laid her arms across his shoulder and held one hand in the other around the back of Freddie's neck. He placed his hands on her hips then gently slid them up to the small of her back.

The pair began to sway and gently turned and move around in a circle.

Carly asked with a smile, "Is this a little déjà vu for you?"

"Yes, but I don't mind," he whispered back. "I'm dancing with the girl I love and how that night ended was the best night of my life."

Carly briefly giggled, "I didn't think it was too bad myself."

"I know, your dad told me."

Carly clamped her mouth shut and shook her head.

"Don't be mad at him. I realized he told me that to tease me about loving you."

"Oh, that sounds like him," she replied with a roll of her eyes. Then, as she did nearly two years ago, she rested her head on his shoulder. She held on to him tighter and smiled into the side of his neck. "This has been an amazing night," she spoke softly.

"I hope so," he replied tenderly. "I wanted to make it a special night for you, because I love you Carly."

Carly lifted her head off his shoulder and looked directly into his eyes and knew with absolute certainty that he meant it. She leaned forward and pulled him towards her for their lips to lock. It was a slow kiss and Carly was determined to take her time and Freddie wasn't in any rush either.

"Hey kids! Let's keep this to TVG. You know how those censors can be!" T-Bo shouted.

The pair's lips immediately broke away and Freddie turned slightly so he and Carly could look at T-Bo with annoyed looks.

His face looked drawn and looked to the countertop. "Sorry," he apologized nervously.

The pair in turn burst into laughter. Carly felt her eyes watering as she looked to Freddie. A joyful tear rolled down her cheek and Freddie gently kissed it away then kissed her forehead.

Freddie whispered, "He certainly knows how to break the mood."

"Or set it," she whispered back then gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Freddie just smirked as he led them to dance again as another song started playing in the background.

_I saw you there so beautiful, You stopped and stared…_

Carly's brow furled for a moment. "Is that—"

Freddie grinned. "Yes it is. Who thought he could turn around and sell the song? But I think you can sing it better than Miranda."

She laughed as she asked, "You really think so?"

He smirked. "I'm not just saying it because I'm your boyfriend."

"Gee thanks," she replied with a giggle.

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed their date. It was fun writing it. See you on Friday. Drop a review to let me know what you think, good or bad.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope you are having a nice Friday and I hope you enjoy this new installment. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers.**

Chapter 16

Dorfman Residence  
>Friday, May 1980<p>

The sun had fully set about an hour ago as the two teenagers lay side by side on the sleeping bag. They had moved it to in front of one the windows of Taylor's sanctuary. His leather jacket was hanging on an unused easel with her green bandana draped over it. The overhead light had been turned off nearly as long with only the light reflecting off the moon illuminating the room and the dozens and dozens of green star stickers stuck to the ceiling that Steven had failed to initially notice due to the ambient light of the setting sun earlier in the afternoon. Taylor's radio was playing softly in the background tuned to some soft rock.

"What's with the all the phones?" he asked breaking the silence. All the variety of phones weren't sculptures, but appeared to him to be ordinary functioning phones.

She rolled to her side and rested her head on her folded right arm. "They represent the need for people to communicate verbally. They remind me that is something I'm not usually comfortable in how I communicate with people."

Steven suddenly chuckled and Taylor's brow furled in confusion and a pout formed with her mouth. When he saw the look on her face he started laughing harder. After catching his breath and rolled on to his side to face her and smiled. The moonlight only partially illuminated her face, but it was quite captivating to him. "You're an artist. You of all people should understand the saying: 'A picture is worth a thousand words'."

She blinked at the statement then blinked again. A smile began to form on her face. Steven couldn't help but steal a quick kiss. She giggled in response and batted him away playful.

He gave her a boyish smile. "I can't steal kisses?"

She leaned over and gave a quick peck on his lips. "Only if I can do the same."

"Deal," he replied then leaned in for a soft kiss.

When they broke apart, she licked her lips for a moment then looked directly into his eyes. "Are we like… girlfriend and boyfriend now?"

He scooted a little closer and rested a hand on her hip. "If you want to be, but I have to warn you: I've never had a steady girlfriend before, so I'm going to have to figure it out as I go along."

She whispered back, "I've never had a boyfriend before, so I guess we are in the same boat."

He couldn't help but grin. "So you want to merrily go down that stream together?"

She lifted her left hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Ah hun," she replied with a nod of her head then leaned in for another kiss. Once they pulled apart, the rolled back onto their backs and just looked out the window as the radio played softly in the background. Their hands seemed to find one another and they laced their fingers.

After a few minutes of the enjoyable essences of just being sided by side, Steven noticed a few books stacked off to the side and one opened lying on the stack. He sat up and took a quick glance to see title printed at the top of one of the pages: The Phantom of the Opera. One name was highlighted on the page: Carlotta. He lifted the book off the stack and showed it to her. "Why is this name highlighted?"

She sat up and shrugged her shoulders. "She's not a nice character, but I like the name. It seems to me… distinguished, elegant… classy… not like mine. I think it's a pretty name for a girl."

The long haired teenager sat the book down in his lap. "I think Taylor is a fine name for a boy," he replied with a smirk on his face.

She pouted for a moment and Steven felt like he was in trouble until she smirked. She reached with both his hands and tickled his abdomen through his T-Shirt. Steven immediately broke into a fit of giggles and tried to swat her hands away, but settled for grabbing them and pressing them to his abs to stop.

Steven took a few breaths to calm down then smirked. "Okay, you found my weakness."

She didn't look up at him however as she started palming his abdomen and her face formed a perplexed look. She looked at him with the color drained from her face and swallowed a lump in her throat.

"What?" he asked in a low and quick tone. He lifted up his T-Shirt to just under his chest to look at his abs. "Did you feel something that shouldn't be there?" he asked as he looked at his stomach the best he could looking for what concerned her.

She clamped her mouth shut and shook her head, but managed to keep her eyes on his abdomen.

"What then?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and lowering his shirt.

She shook her head again.

He tilted his head to the side. "You're not going give me the silent treatment now?"

"No," she squeaked out.

"Is Miss Dorfman surprised at what she found?" he asked with a smirk. "I can't be soft with the people I hang around with."

"Maybe," she said so quickly he didn't know if he had heard her right.

Steven stifled a laugh. "I'm flattered," he chocked out a moment later.

"You're welcome," she whispered as she looked down and a healthy blush formed on her cheeks.

He grinned then kissed one of those cheeks. "And you're beautiful."

She spared a glance up at him. "Are you flattering me now?"

He brushed some of his hair behind his left ear. "If you mean for flattering being a synonym for the word truth, than yes, I am flattering you."

She let out a soft snort as she grinned. The brunette girl then decided to lie back down. He quickly joined her and she immediately rolled so that she could use his shoulder as a pillow.

In a soft and hesitant whisper, she asked, "Would you stay the night?"

It didn't take him a moment to decide and answer, "Yes."

She snuggled into his shoulder and closed her eyes. He protectively wrapped an arm around her and held her close. After a few moments it was obvious to him that she had fallen asleep.

"I think I'm falling in love with you Taylor Dorfman," he whispered then kissed her forehead.

Shay Apartment  
>Friday, September 2011<p>

It was approaching midnight as the pair entered the Shay apartment. They each were trying to suppress their respective laughing. Carly slipped her key into the lock and opened the door as quietly as she could. The pair entered the surprising lit room and stopped in shock at the sight on the couch.

Her father was looking straight at the television with an annoyed look on his face as Mrs. Benson had apparently fell asleep and used his shoulder as a pillow. Shay quietly whispered without taking his eyes off the television, "Mister Benson, would you please kindly get your mother off of me."

Freddie quickly walked over and gently nudged his mother awake. The brunette/redhead blinked and realized that Freddie was standing over her.

"Hi Freddie," she replied groggily.

Freddie grinned, "Hi mom."

The brunette/redhead then realized where her head was lying and looked to the Colonel.

"Sorry Steven," she apologized even if she was still half asleep.

Shay helped her stand as he replied, "It is… understandable. Let me lead you home."

"O—kay," Mrs. Benson replied as she stifled a yawn.

Freddie and Carly stood aside as the pair headed for the door. Shay turned his head to look at the couple and winked with his right eye. He turned his attention back to the hallway and to the opposite apartment door as he gently led Mrs. Benson to her apartment. "It's okay Marissa, your little Fredward is home safe and sound."

"That's—" Mrs. Benson yawned, "nice." Then the pair disappeared into the Benson apartment.

The couple then looked to one another for a moment trying to gage the other's reaction. They just smile to one another and Carly took Freddie's hand to lead him up the stairs.

A few moments later, they reached her room and entered. Carly dropped her jacket on the back of the chair facing the water coffee table and walked to her bed. She turned around and plopped down on her bed then lay back, spreading her arms out to her side. "Freddie?"

"Yes?" he asked from the bottom step of the bed platform.

"I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed tonight."

"Being speechless is an answer Carls," he replied nervously as he avoided looking at her.

She sat back up and patted the seat to her right. Freddie smiled and shook his head. "Okay," he replied with a slight humor in his voice. He took off his blazer jacket and laid it across her leather jacket on the seat. He quickly took the three steps up to her bed and sat down.

She then scooted back, trying to cover as much as her legs as possible with the skirt part of her dress, so she could sit in the center of the bed. She then tugged on Freddie's arm to follow suit. He obliged her as she lay down and him beside her. She rolled slightly and rested her head on his shoulder. "This has been a wonderful night."

"I'm glad you liked it."

Carly closed her eyes as she snuggled her head onto Freddie's shoulder. Her left hand reached up and rested on the center of his chest. Since she was partially lying on his left arm, he tenderly moved his arm to wrap around her and rest his hand on her hip.

"I think I should go," he whispered as he felt his own chest contracting from her touch.

"Do you want to go?"

"No," he barely got out as his mind raced.

"Then maybe—" she stifled a yawn, "maybe we shouldn't break my family tradition about how a first date should end."

"Maybe not," he whispered back and kissed her forehead as she was already drifting off to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Taylor began blinking as she felt the warmth of the morning sun on her face. She took a shallow breath and opened her eyes, but the spot beside her on the sleeping bag was empty. She patted it and realized that it was cold. The brunette frowned and then blinked her eyes ready to hold back the tears.

"Morning," a whisper came from below her feet. She sat up to see Steven sitting against the wall. His legs were bent with his shoes flat against the floor and arms resting on his knees.

Her frown quickly turned into a big smile that Steven finally noticed her dimples. "Sorry that I moved, but… nature called, so to speak and when I got back you looked so peaceful. I've just been watching you sleep since then and I know, it is really creepy, but… I haven't felt that kind of peace in a long time."

She nearly jumped to her feet as she slid to him. She grabbed him by the cheeks and pulled him into a hard kiss. Steven blinked, but quickly kissed back and gently ran his hands down her back. She pulled back and looked into his eyes as she caught her breath.

Steven let out a breath and Taylor giggled as it tickled her nose and upper lip. "You thought I really was a dream?" he whispered as rubbed her back tenderly.

In a hesitant voice she replied, "Maybe."

He pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. She rested her head on her arm and to the right side of Steven's head.

She smiled slightly and in a soft tone asked, "How do you want to spend our first day as girlfriend and boyfriend?"

A slight rumbling sound came from Taylor's stomach and she instantly blushed with Steven grinning. "How about breakfast?"

Her face suddenly fell and lifted her head off her arm to look at him. "Daddy? How am I going to explain you to my dad?"

He smiled warmly to her. "You don't, I came in through the front door; I'm going to leave through the front door… unless he throws me out a window."

"That's not funny," she pouted.

"I know, a three story fall could hurt."

Her brow knotted further, but he kissed her forehead in an attempt to relax her. "I'm kidding sweetie."

"Sweetie?"

"A little too sugary?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

A quick shake of her head and a replying of no reassured her.

"Come on, I'm getting hungry too," he motioned with his head and the pair stood up. She led him by the and downstairs to the second floor. She pointed to a bathroom as she went to her bedroom.

Steven entered the bathroom as the blue pajama wearing Barry was putting toothpaste onto his tooth brush. Steven turned on the faucet and let the cold water run for a moment before splashing it on his face.

"Hey Barry," Steven commented when he looked back into the mirror then wiped his face off with the palm of his hand.

"Hey Steven," Barry replied just as nonchalantly as he stuck his toothbrush below the running water. He then pointed to a towel Steven could use to dry his face. The long haired teenager quickly dried his face and thanked the younger teenager before heading out of the bathroom.

Taylor met him as he was exiting the bathroom. She sniffed him and finally realized that he wasn't as 'fresh' as the start of yesterday. He smirked at reading her face and coming to the same conclusion. Steven lifted each arm up and sniffed himself. "Okay, I'm a little fresh."

She giggled and covered her nose. The brunette then took his hand and led him back to the bathroom as Barry was walking out. She stopped him for a moment and whispered into his ear. The lighter haired brunette nodded to what she said and continued on his way.

She pointed to the shower. He quickly looked over his shoulder then back to her. "I don't have spare clothes."

"I'll take care of that, just go," she requested and pointed to the shower.

"Okay," he replied with a roll of his eyes.

They both stood there for a moment until Steven spoke. "Just because you're my girlfriend doesn't mean you get a free peak. Go," he shoed her away.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. The artist turned and headed out of a bathroom calling out over her shoulder, "Toss your clothes out the door. I promise not to peak."

"Fine," he said letting out a breath. "It's always the quiet ones," he mumbled as she exited the bathroom.

About half an hour later the couple, Steven dressed in freshly washed and dried clothes and Taylor changed with a hint of strawberry body wash fragrance that Steven picked up, was heading to the first floor. As they were cutting through the parlor to the kitchen, Mister Dorfman was sitting in his recliner reading the morning paper. He instantly got up and approached the pair.

"Mister Dorfman," Steven greeted the Dorfman patriarch with a smile and devil may care glint in his eye.

"Mister Shay," the salt and peppered haired man greeted hesitantly. He then looked to his daughter with a friendly smile. "Could you give us a minute sweetie?"

"Of course dad," she replied and stood on her tip toes to give him a kiss on the cheek before going to the kitchen.

Steven watched Taylor leave the parlor and head towards the kitchen. He then looked squarely at the slightly taller man. "I'm still a virgin if that is what you are wondering. I walked in as one; I intend to leave out of here as one. That is what you were going to ask?"

Dorfman cleared his throat and was obviously taken aback from the forwardness of the statement, but was clearly replaced with one of honed over many years of his time in the service. "You sure are a smartass aren't you?"

Steven tilted his head from side to side for a moment before meeting Mister Dorfman's stern look. "I've found it to be far more advantageous than being a dumb one."

Dorfman snorted out a laugh. "I like you. You're honest."

"Life is far too short for bullshitting."

Dorfman nodded. "Couldn't agree more. So, what are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Well since your daughter asked _me_ if we were boyfriend and girlfriend now, I decided to answer yes if she wanted that. She said she did, so she's the one that set the intentions."

"So she made the first move?"

Steven shrugged one of his shoulders. "I guess she liked what she saw and went for it."

Dorfman snorted out a breath. "Sounds exactly like her. Would you like some breakfast?"

"I'd love some breakfast," the teenager replied with a slight bow of his head.

"Well, follow me son," Dorfman replied and motioned towards the kitchen.

About ten minutes later, Taylor was serving breakfast to each of the attendants at the table and a place for herself. She took a seat and said a silent grace for herself before eating. Barry was still in his blue pajamas as he bit into his toast as Mister Dorfman watched Steven dig into his breakfast.

"So, what are your hobbies?" Dorfman called out.

After chewing and swallowing the scrambled eggs in his mouth, Steven replied, "Besides being a listless loser? I'm an amateur mechanic. I used to be good in science and math before I got lazy, so it seemed like a useful hobby to learn with my skill set."

"You are?" Dorfman asked with a raised eyebrow. "I got this truck that has been giving me some problems. Do you mind taking a look at it?"

"No, sir. Sounds like fun."

"Good," he replied and took a large mouthful of oatmeal into his mouth. He chewed with a large grin on his face, but keeping his mouth shut.

After a few more mouthfuls of breakfast, Steven asked, "I noticed all the Air Force stuff in your parlor. Stupid question, but were you a flyer?"

"Yes and I thought I was pretty good at it."

"Dad's an ace," Barry offered with a smile on his face.

"Wow, I feel like less than a man now," Steven commented half jokingly/half seriously.

"You never know your future son," he replied somberly.

"At the moment, I'm not really sure what that future is," Steven answered in a detached tone. "Still trying to figure out all of the present."

"Well good luck to you on that, but if you need any advice on that… just ask."

Steven nodded not sure to what make of the offer. "I will sir, thank you."

After a few moments, Steven asked the father, "I'm guessing you have a degree in aeronautical engineering or something in a technical field? Your success is hard not to miss."

Dorfman nodded his head. "A PhD in Aeronautical Engineering actually; you can't be stupid to begin with if you want to be a flyboy. I just kept going after I was discharged after World War Two then joined back up when Korea started."

"Figured; so that's when you started? World War Two?"

"I joined up right out of college in early forty-four and flew Mustangs with the Eighth Air Force during the war, then Sabers in Korea and finally Phantoms in Vietnam. Your father ever in the service?"

"Dad was born in thirty-nine, and then he was exempted from being drafted because of me for Vietnam, but he made sure he was registered with selective service, but having me was never a way of getting out of serving. He never considered any branch of the military a career choice."

"No shame in that, but all those draft dodgers can rot in Hell," he replied in disgust.

Steven nodded his head. "My father is many things, like a pain in my ass, but not a coward."

Shay Apartment  
>Saturday, September 2011<p>

Carly inhaled a familiar sent as she returned from her sleeping state. It was comforting and she snuggled her head onto the surface of what she was lying on. Carly slowly blinked her eyes open and smiled at what she saw: Freddie's peaceful face. During the night her left hand had moved from resting on his chest to wrapping around his waist as his arm had done to her. She lifted her hand and tenderly traced his jaw line with her finger tips and smiled. He steered slightly so she kissed him on the cheek.

He finally blinked his eyes opened and looked to her with a warm smile and spoke tenderly, "Morning."

"Morning," she replied with a grin then locked her lips with his. They began to trade soft kisses as she slid to lie on top of him. His hands moved to the small of her back as hers gripped his shoulders.

Freddie broke the trading of soft pecks and whispered, "The last time we were in this position, I was in a bathrobe."

She grinned and giggled for a moment. "Yes it was… how long were we like that?"

"About half an hour? My mother is pretty punctual with her time," he replied with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

With a wicked glint in her eye that Freddie hadn't seen in a long time, she asked, "Do you want to break that record?"

Freddie chuckled before replying by capturing her lips again.

After several minutes of tenderly exchanged kisses, Carly felt something poke her lower abdomen through the thin silky material of her dress. At first she ignored to continue their kiss because she thought it was his belt buckle. Freddie broke from their kiss and swallowed down nervously as he looked into her eyes. "Sorry, ah… ah…"

She swallowed down just as nervously before replying, "It's okay. That's a… natural…"

He nodded, "Right… that's supposed to happen, but…"

"Nothing to be embarrassed about," she offered just as nervously.

They just looked at one another for a few moments. "I'm going to go change—" Carly whispered.

Freddie replied quickly, "Okay, I'm going to… go to the bathroom and meet you downstairs in a few minutes?"

"Ah hun."

After a few moments of her continuing to lie on him, he suggested, "You can get up now."

"Oh right," she replied with a blush on her cheeks. He kissed her quickly on one of those cheeks before rolling off of him.

Sam was sitting at the counter eating a bowl of cereal when Freddie walked down the stairs and holding his blazer jacket across his arm. The blonde raised an eyebrow and dropped her spoon into her cereal bowl. Spencer just blinked as he sat at the kitchen table at seeing Freddie.

"Hello Mister Benson," Shay called out as he was cooking his eggs on the stove.

Freddie cleared his throat. "Mister Shay."

Shay barely gave him a second glance as he asked, "Would you care for some breakfast?"

Freddie looked down at himself and figured if he ate a fancy meal in this outfit, why not breakfast. He ignored Sam's shocked face of like a gapping fish out of water with her mouth as he draped his jacket over the back of the chair and took a seat at the table. Freddie spared Spencer a look and a small smile.

Spencer turned and looked to his father. "Ah Dad, can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure," he replied as he divided up the eggs on Spencer's and Freddie's plates. He put the pan on an off burner of the stove and then looked to Freddie, "Toast is finishing up with some waffles and the syrup is in the cabinet. Did you here me Samantha?"

The blonde nodded as Shay walked past following Spencer to the artist's room. Once the pair entered the room, Spencer shut the door behind him and shouted to his father, "He spent the night?"

Shay gave his son a reserved look. "Samantha spent the night in this room watching zombie ninja monster truck movies. I thought my ears were just playing tricks on my that first morning back, but now I'm sure I heard the words, 'little crush' and attributed to Samantha. Should I be concerned? And before you answer, I am aware of the 'Spam' fanbase," he replied with air quotes around Spam.

"I'm twenty-nine and she's seventeen!" The outrage was clearly displayed on his face from the insinuation.

"I'm glad you remember that even if you still so childlike, but I think you fail to see your own hypocrisy of even bringing this up."

"Hypocrisy? From what? Being concerned about what my little sister is doing? Or doing?"

He took a step towards Spencer. "If you weren't my boy I'd slug you for that," Shay replied with a harsh glare.

Spencer actually flinched.

Shay ignored the reaction as he continued, "I'll point it out if you can't see it: I'm suppose to trust you with an underage girl in your room all night, but not your sister with _Freddie_? Is this you being honest about what you think of your sister?"

"It's not about trust dad, but about maturity," Spencer pointed out just as forcibly.

"You really want to get into a discussion about which one of you is the most mature? Do you really think there would be a clear cut winner in that contest?"

Spencer's eyebrows furled and set his mouth to a frown. Spencer was about to speak when Shay continued, "Don't you give me that look; it's the truth and you know it. And let me ask you something? How many girls have _you_ brought home and well… you are twenty-nine and haven't had a steady girlfriend since high school."

Spencer immediately clamped his mouth shut.

Shay smirked in response. "Oh, we can have a discussion about your sister's sex life or potential one, but yours is off limits?"

"This is different."

"How?" Shay asked genuinely curious about Spencer's answer.

Spencer pointed out in a wavering tone, "Because she's the child and I'm not."

Shay chuckled, "So you and I are discussing this as parents?"

Spencer blinked and took a breath before replying, "I've raised her for the last four years… I think I should get a say."

Shay nodded. "A say yes, but I get the final word and my word is this: I don't have a problem of Freddie staying overnight on occasions, but this will not become a regular occurrence and I will make sure both of them know that. If they want to do that anyway then Freddie has to just man up and marry her first."

Spencer closed his eyes and shook his head. "She's always going to be my baby sister. I worry."

"I know, but you have to love her enough to trust her and trust him."

"I'll try," he huffed out and rolled his eyes.

"You do that, because just a little piece of advice, don't let your lingering doubts show to Carly. The last thing we need is for you two to form a wedge in your relationship. Now could we get back to breakfast before it gets too cold?"

Spencer shook his head and replied, "Okay dad."

When the pair exited the artist's room they found Carly was sitting at the kitchen table beside Freddie helping herself to her father's breakfast. She had changed into some sweatpants and an old oversize T-Shirt. Shay walked over and kissed on top of her head. "Hey cupcake."

"Hi dad," she replied between bites of his breakfast.

Shay took his seat and leaned back in his chair watching the couple enjoy their meal together. Sam shook her head and focused on her own cereal than watch the love birds have 'eye sex' with one another.

Freddie spoke up a few moments after finishing his breakfast, "Well, I need to get home and change and hope my mom isn't a wreck for me not coming home last night."

"Okay," Carly spoke in a whisper and a smile on her face. Freddie gave her a quick peck on the cheek then headed out for the door. She smiled as she watched him leave. She turned back around in her seat and met Shay's grinning face, "Fun night?"

Carly looked down at the table and cleared her throat. "Yes, it was great."

Shay chuckled before asking, "I'm sure you two girls have some girl talk to take care of, but could I talk to you for a moment?"

Carly nodded to him nervously. "Okay."

"How about your room?" he suggested.

"Okay dad," she answered in a quiet tone. The pair then got up from there seats and headed for the stairs.

Spencer and Sam just exchanged looks.

The father and daughter entered her room then Carly shut the door behind her. Shay glanced at the bed and noticed that it was made up for the most part as if someone or more than one slept on top of the covers. He took a moment to remember a similar event in his life a little more than thirty years ago and a smile formed on his face. He turned to look at his daughter and saw her concerned look as she looked to the bed and back to him.

Carly rung her hands and looked to the floor waiting for the lecture she knew was coming. It was either going to be from her father or from Spencer. She wasn't sure which one she would rather have talking to her.

"So, you two—slept in here last night?"

"Me and Freddie didn't—love—like when they want two horses to become boyfriend and girlfriend," she rattled off quickly

"Horses?" The Colonel asked with a perplexed look as that was the last thing he expected to hear.

Carly nodded her head. "You know from the Animal Channel?"

"I don't watch a lot of TV where I'm usually at, kiddo."

She motioned with her hands for him to follow along with her story. "Well, when they want two horses to be boyfriend and girlfriend, they get them to a barn and… they turn the barn lights down and…." She trailed off.

Shay grinned the whole time at she tried to explain a subject she was obviously very uncomfortable with discussing. Things apparently hadn't changed in the last four years since he had 'The Talk' with her. Any lingering doubts he may have had about her and Freddie being overly intimate was right out the window. Shay took both of his daughter's hands. "I get what you're saying and I'm glad to hear it. I'm old fashion and so was your mother. I just hope and wish that you would wait to express love in that manner after you are married regardless of who you want to be with."

"I don't want anyone else," she came back so quickly that it surprised herself.

Shay held back a smile with hearing that confession. "All I'm saying is that it is very special to share that level of intimacy and openness with someone you love and trust… and absolutely committed with one another as in death do you part commitment."

She smiled at her father. "Like you and mom?"

Shay smiled warmly back, "Just like your mom and me."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Shay Apartment  
>Saturday, September 2011<p>

"Your mother and I knew fairly early on that we loved each other like that," Shay continued with a smile. He then shrugged a shoulder, "I think she knew before I did, but at that time… I was in a fairly bad place in my life and was blind to a lot of things. It took a little bit of time, but your mother had a way of allowing me to see that there were things in the world to care about… that it wasn't all meaningless and pointless. She was someone that made me feel…"

Shay looked off to nowhere in particular musing in thought.

"What?"

He smiled and shook his head before replying, "She made me feel complete and life made sense again and I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her."

She just blinked at him and stared.

"I had that same reaction when I realized that," he pointed at her.

Carly found her voice a few moments later in asking, "So, you and mom waited until… you know."

"Yes we did and… the experience was very special…"

Carly nodded. "Thanks dad." She then hugged him.

He closed his eyes and hugged her back. "You're welcome. I just wish your mom was here to have had this talk with you, but I hope I did alright."

She looked up at him still holding on. "You did great dad."

"Good, because I'm not ready to be a granddad by you," Shay replied with a chuckle.

Carly blushed and immediately ducked her head down. That just allowed Shay to kiss the top of her head. "Thanks kiddo."

As Shay was leaving the bedroom, Sam was on the other side of the threshold waiting. "I guess you are ready for your girl talk with her?"

"That's one way to put it," she replied in a short tone as she walked past and shut the door behind her.

"Okay… I'm just going to let those two handle it," he spoke out loud to no one. He then made his way back down stares to finally get some breakfast.

"I want deets," Sam demanded.

"Oh, now you want to know," she replied with a smile and a roll of her eyes.

She didn't have an amused look on her face. "Carls this isn't funny, you spent the night together in your room. _Alone._"

The amused look on the brunette's face was quickly replaced with one of hurt. "Okay yes, Freddie spent the night."

Sam sighed. "Did you two… you know…"

"No," she replied more hurt than offended by the question.

Sam shook her head. "I don't want you to get hurt kiddo."

"You think Freddie would hurt me?"

"Not intentionally, but it's not his actions I'm really concerned about. The last time you were 'in love' with him," she air quoted in love. "You were really into him and more than any guy I ever saw you with, including Griffin before the whole pee-wee babies thing. I don't want you to over compensate and do something you might regret, because of how it ended last time."

"I'm not compensating for anything," she snapped at the blonde. "I care about Freddie and it is real this time and if I want to be intimate with him then I'll be intimate. I don't need your permission or approval."

"I'm not saying you do. I just want you to be careful. You don't have to do anything to keep him. He's not going to break up with you. This is Freddie we're talking about: the kid that has loved you since he met you."

Carly looked down at her feet. "I know that, but he broke up with me anyway the last time."

"I'm the one who broke you two up," Sam spoke calmly.

"What?" Carly asked in disbelief.

Sam let out a calming breath and asked, "Do you really think he would have come up with foreign bacon up all on his own?"

"You're the one that put that in his head?" Carly asked not believing that it could be true.

"Yes I did and I was right," the blonde replied without a hint of regret in her voice.

"How can you say that?" Carly shouted as a look a fury formed on her face.

The look in Carly's eyes actually caused a tremor of fear to run through Sam, but she pushed that aside and continued, "Because you let him break up with you. If you were in love with him, you wouldn't have bought that line and let him go. Tell me I'm wrong."

Carly sucked in a breath and blinked.

Sam pressed on, "I'm used to being the bad one and if I have to be the bad one to protect you I will and I'll sleep like a baby that same night."

"Wetting yourself and crying all night?"

"What?" Sam looked at her with a perplexed look.

Carly let out a breath and shook her head. "Nothing, just a joke my dad told me."

Sam let out a tired breath. "Look kiddo, I can be bad and a jerk just because without a second thought, but if I have to do that to look out for you, well… I think that is a good reason. You didn't love him like that and he did and if it wasn't stopped then you two would have just gotten hurt in the end."

Carly looked down at the floor as she asked, "What about now?"

In a quiet voice, Sam replied, "Now you like him that way and he loves you. If you two get hurt in the end… it will have nothing to do with not being honest with one another." Sam smirked and finished, "If you two break up, it will have nothing to do with mama."

Carly snorted out a laugh and shook her head. The brunette took a few steps to close the distance and pulled Sam into a hug. The brunette then whispered, "Thanks big sis for looking out for me."

Sam patted her back. "You're welcome kiddo."

Carly pulled back and smile. "Now, do you want to hear deets or not?"

Sam rolled her eyes, "Fine, let me hear the deets about your date."

* * *

><p>Carly and Sam came back down stairs; her father greeted her with a smile, "Hey."<p>

She caught her father's hesitant look. "What?"

He looked back to Spencer then shared his look between his children. "There is something I need to talk to you two about."

Carly and Spencer looked to each other in concern. Spencer started off, "What is it dad?"

He took a deep breath and began, "I got a letter last night from General O'Neill."

"Are you leaving?" Carly asked with dread in her voice.

"Not right now, my leave hasn't been revoked, but you know how I talked about weighing some career options and opportunities that may have been coming my way when I first got here?"

"Yeah," Spencer asked in concern.

"One of them cam through." He picked up the letter off of the table and handed Carly the letter. She hesitantly took it and started reading it out loud. "To: Colonel Steven Shay, USAF, it is my pleasure to inform you that you have been nominated by the President to the rank of Brigadier General for Senatorial confirmation—" Carly stopped reading and looked up at her father. "Oh my God," she whispered then cheered, "Oh my God!"

"It's a staff position with General O'Neill in DC, so no more service tours overseas. I'll live in DC or Virginia, but I could visit a lot more often and most likely be home for all the major holidays. I still have to go through the conformation hearing, but I don't think it will be that much trouble. I'm not exactly controversial nor is the position."

"This is great!" Carly shouted then hugged her father.

He patted her back. "I'm glad you approve."

Dorfman Residence  
>Saturday, May 1980<p>

It was approaching around ten in the morning as Mister Dorfman carried his tool box and walked with Steven out to the back porch to see a black, 1974 Ford Truck sitting out in the backyard. "There she is," the older man commented with a smile on his face. The outward appearance was quite nice with the silver chrome polished and a nice waxed paint job.

The two approached the vehicle and Dorfman sat his tool box in front of the truck. He went around and popped the hood allowing Steven start glancing over the engine. Steven pulled a wrench out of the tool box and started checking connections and bolts.

Taylor wearing an orange bandana with a sketchpad took a seat on the back porch wooden deckchair. She flipped it open and with a pencil started sketching Steven looking under the hood of the truck. A few minutes later, Barry took a seat beside her and watched his sister sketch Steven working on the truck.

"So you really like him?"

"Yes," she replied quietly as she sketched quickly with her eyes darting back and forth from the scene in front of her and her sketchpad.

"Is he your boyfriend now?"

"Yes."

The lighter brunette started hesitantly, "He seems…"

Taylor stopped her sketching and looked to her little brother. "What?"

"A contradiction."

Taylor frowned for a moment in thought then smiled brightly. "Yes he is, but he's my contradiction."

"You do this often?" Dorfman asked as he watched the young man finish his inspection.

"Just the usual maintenance on my motorcycle and my dad's car when he needs it," Steven replied double checking the tightness of a bolt.

"I noticed it in the driveway. I pulled it into the garage last night,"

"Thanks," the teenager answered as he made sure the bolt was tight.

"So when did you get it?"

Steven moved on to another part of the engine to inspect. "Late last year, had some money saved up, some money my mom left me and paid for the rest doing some odd mechanical jobs at a few automotive places. It was easier to get my hands into places that other mechanics couldn't."

"So you worked for what you have?"

"In a manner of speaking," he replied as he checked the connections to the battery.

"This after your mother died?"

Steven stopped what he was doing and answered hesitantly, "Yes."

"Car accident I read."

He turned around from out under the hood. "Yes, no one's fault; not even the other driver's. Sometimes shit just happens."

"So there was no one to blame? Nowhere to direct the anger?"

Steven snorted out dismissively, "Telling God to go fuck Himself doesn't count?"

Dorfman snorted out a breath and he shook his head. "I suppose it does."

Steven snorted out a disgusted breath and turned back to finish his inspection of the engine.

After a few minutes, the retired officer asked, "So what do you think?"

Steven wiped off his hands with an old rag from and looked up from the engine to the war veteran. "I think there is nothing wrong with the blasted thing just looking at it, so why am I out here?"

Dorfman smirked and shrugged his shoulders with his hands in his pockets. "Wanted to see how you were with my own eyes. I was vetting you so to speak. Taylor's told me plenty about you and I had you checked out. You could have just lied and told me something was wrong with it and then offered to fix it cheaper than taking it to a professional, but you didn't. You were honest with me."

"So I passed your little test?" he asked quite annoyed at playing the possible fool.

"Yes."

"Good, because I can waste my time quite effectively on my own," he replied as he started putting the tools away.

"But do you want to? Are you just wasting your time with my daughter?"

Steven took a sharp intake of breath. He blinked and slowly let out the breath before standing back up to look at him. "No, I'm not."

Dorfman nodded and look to the ground for a moment before meeting Steven's eyes again. "You got a lot of potential kid. You may not think it, but there is still something there worth salvaging. Losers don't pick fights with people just for the hell of it unless there is something in it for them."

Steven cocked his head to the side and asked, "Maybe it was my way of just getting your daughter's trust and get inside her panties?"

Dorfman laughed heartedly. When he caught his breath after about a half a minute later he answered, "No, my daughter's too nice and good to see the real evil in people, but I'm not so nice and good and I've seen a lot of evil in my time. I looked into to your eyes boy and I didn't see it there, just some broken kid."

"I don't need fixing, not by you and not by her. I'm not one of her projects."

"You don't really think that's what she's trying to do is it?"

Steven didn't even take a moment before shaking his head no.

"You still have your self dignity, but not the vice of pride. You can admit your faults. That's a good thing."

"Still testing me?" the long haired teenager asked with a slight annoyance in his voice.

"It's not my judgment you should be worrying about and not even my daughter's to a certain extend… or to the extent that she can judge people."

"Than whose judgment should I be concerned with?"

"Your own."

Steven blinked and took a step back. He then looked to the ground and slightly shook his head.

Dorfman grinned. "Just something to think about son."

Steven lifted his eyes up just enough to spare a glance at the older man.

**Author's Note: So you get three chapters today. Thanks for reading and see you on Monday.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: Hello my dear readers. Thanks once again for your readership and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed the last installment. We are approaching the end of this story. The final installment should be this Friday. **

**There is a language warning for this chapter. A little harsher than normal.**

Chapter 19

Steven sat down comfortably on his motorcycle and turned on the ignition. He revved up the engine and turned his head to face the brunette standing beside him. She wore a small smile and the wind blew behind her hair as the sun was setting behind her.

"You sure you want to be my girlfriend? I'm still one fucked up guy," he spoke with a snort at the end and grin on his face.

"And I'm one abnormal artist—"

"Extraordinarily unique," he gently corrected and kissed her cheek.

She cupped both of his cheeks and returned a slow gentle kiss on the lips. She pulled back slowly letting the contact between their lips last as long as possible. Her brown eyes met his eyes and she smile warmly at him. "Does that answer your question?"

He nodded his head slightly as she continued to hold his cheeks. "I'll see you on Monday?"

"Yes," she whispered then took a step away.

He grinned and winked at her as he rolled back from the driveway. He looked over his shoulder one last time before riding away.

Shay Residence  
>Sunday, May 1980<p>

Steven sat up in his bed and scratched the back of his head as he heard the relentless knocking on his bedroom door. He looked over to his clock radio to see that it was Sunday and approaching noon. "I'm getting up!" he shouted in an annoyed voice. He threw the sheets off of his legs and wobbled to the door in a white undershirt and boxers. He opened up the door with one hand as he wiped an eye with his other hand. Steven snorted out a breath and smiled at the raven haired girl on the other side of the threshold of the bedroom. "Hey Ruby."

"Hey Steven," she replied with a smirk as he allowed her to enter his room. "Where were you Friday night and yesterday?" she asked as she walked past him.

He shut the door and turned to her. "Not even a good morning?"

She smiled warmly and replied, "Morning sleepy head." She then kissed him on the cheek.

He just groaned as he ran a hand through his hair. "God, how are you so cheerful this morning?"

She took a seat on his bed and crossed her legs. "I'm just so eager to find out what has happened to you over the last two days."

"I was with Taylor," he replied with a smirk as he took a seat in his desk chair across from her.

"You were?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and bobbing her foot of her top leg up and down.

Steven yawned for a moment before replying, "Yes, I took her out for some pizza and spent the night over at her house."

Ruby blinked at this and the smug look on her face disappeared. "You spent the night over at her house?"

Steven smirked. "Yes I did. It was very nice."

"Were her parents home?" she asked in a concern tone he hadn't heard from her too often.

"I assume her father was. Her mother is deceased," he replied in a quiet tone.

The surprise look on the girl's face then shifted to one of guilt. "Sorry."

Steven shook his head. "That's just how it is Ruby. Nothing either one of us can do to change that."

The paler girl pursed her lips and looked down for a moment. In a more cheerful tone then she probably felt, she joked, "You're still here, so obviously he didn't kill you."

Steven smiled as he replied, "No he didn't. He seemed to approve of me. It just tells me how lousy his assessment of me he has."

"Or he's absolutely right about you."

Steven laughed out loud, "Ah, under that dark wicked exterior is still that sweet girl that still sees what isn't there."

Ruby laughed in a mischievous manner, "I see you just fine Steven, but the answer I want to know is: 'Where did you sleep?'"

"Next to her on a sleeping bag in her… own little world, for lack of a better explanation, which I'm not going to try and give you. It is something she shared with me and not opened to discussion."

"Okay, fair enough. I assume you two didn't…"

"What makes you assume that?"

"Because of whom you are. You may be a guy, but this it's not about sex." Ruby smirked and continued, "Besides, if it was, you could have had me."

Steven chuckled for a few moments before catching his breath. It took a few more breaths to make sure he was calm and met her eyes. "I know and I would have treated you right."

"I know you would Stevie," she replied with a smile. The smile then turned into a mischievous one as she asked, "So where are you two now?"

He shook his head and smiled. "She's my girlfriend now."

"Your girlfriend?" she asked and her mouth dropped open.

"What?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "You said I should try and give happiness a chance. That's what I'm doing."

She did something he hadn't heard in years: she giggled.

"You find this funny?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She shook her head and her raven locks bounced off her shoulders a little. "I find this… delightful."

"I'm glad you approve," he replied with a half smile.

"Someone has to watch out for you," she shrugged a shoulder and winked an eye. Her tone turned more serious when she asked, "What does your father think?"

Steven blew out a breath. "Haven't told him and I don't plan to unless I have to. All he knows is she's a friend at the moment."

Ruby let out a breath and shook her head knowing where that discussion could go when it was out in the open. "Well you know I won't be saying anything to the grouch. I'll cover you as long as I can."

"Thanks," he answered with a grateful smile.

She got up from her seat off of his bed and walked towards him. She pulled him into a hug and whispered into his ear, "I'm happy for you Stevie."

He embraced her back and patted her on one shoulder. "Thank you Ruby."

It was Monday morning when Steven pulled up into the school parking lot with Taylor riding on the back seat and holding unto his waist. Once he brought the motorcycle to a stop and turned off the ignition, he turned his head slightly and she kissed his cheek before getting off the back of the motorcycle.

More than a dozen students caught site of the couple and were surprised at what they saw. They almost in an instant started whispering among themselves and discreetly pointing at the pair as they told others who had not seen them arrive together.

As Taylor was putting away her helmet, Steven whispered with a smile on his face, "I'll see you this afternoon."

After securing the helmet in the saddlebag, she smiled up at him. "'kay," she replied and kissed him on the cheek, before turning and heading inside through a side entrance.

Steven put down the kick stand and hopped off of his bike. He raised the corner of his mouth as he saw some of the group of friends killing time before the bell rang. He approached them slowly. Ruby and Glenn were sitting on his Charger with his armed wrapped around her waist. Bobby was leaning against the front of the car on Ruby's left side. He was a scrappy hair cut dark headed boy and about five foot six with athletically lean body. He wore darker colored blue skinny jeans and a black shirt with a torn near the hem of the shirt and a black jacket. He used to be on the football team before he blew out a knee in last year's season, so he became a punk similar to the ones just coming out of Europe at the time. Andrea was a first-generation African-American girl with a small afro with a lithe frame and a beautiful smile. Her nickname from the group was "African Princess" because of her air of dignity she carried and respect she was immediately given in any new environment as if she was royalty.

Glenn chuckled as Steven stopped in front of them. "So you and Taylor?" He turned to his girlfriend. "Did you know about this?"

Ruby cocked an eyebrow and smirked. Glenn shook his head knowing he would never get a straight answer from her on this matter. He knew whatever happens between she and Steven would stay between those two. She had made that quite clear before they started dating along with the fact she wouldn't put up with any jealousy on his part and showed him where he could go if he didn't like it. The raven haired girl even made it a point by pointing to the window of her second story bedroom not the door.

"So have you and Taylor… you know," Bobby asked with a raised eyebrow.

Steven set his jaw tight and stared coldly and the dark headed teenager. Bobby was quickly smacked upside of the head. He rubbed the back of his head and shouted, "Oww!" He turned to look at Ruby glaring at him.

"Why did you do that?"

"You were being stupid," she snarked back at him.

He glared back at her from the insult.

"Keep staring and I'll take your eyes out," she hissed.

Bobby caved pretty quickly and looked away. Ruby eyed him for a few more moments to make sure he complied. Steven snorted out a breath and shook his head. Ruby had just put Bobby in his place and now Steven didn't have to worry about anyone else for that matter. She had the advantage of being the Alpha Female of the group.

Steven grinned as he spoke, "Taylor is my girlfriend. That's all I have to say on that matter. Pass this on to the others if you would: I want it to be made clear to everyone else in school that it is just as foolish for them to bother her or her little brother Barry as it would be to bother anyone of us. Are we good on this?"

Ruby answered immediately, "We are clear. Right everyone?" The three other's immediately nodded knowing better than arguing even if they disagreed in the first place.

Steven chuckled and shook his head.

* * *

><p>It was lunch time and Taylor was quietly eating her bagged lunch when Ruby approached her once again and took a seat across from her. The brunette smiled at the raven haired girl even as she was chewing part of her sandwich.<p>

She grinned at the brunette. "So you and Stevie are together?"

Taylor nodded with a smile as she swallowed her morsel of food then a sip of her straw from her milk carton.

"You're going to treat him right, right," she stated as half a question and the other half as a statement with an edge in her voice.

This time, however, Taylor was not fearful of the act the girl was putting on, but comforted that there was someone looking out for Steven.

It was a soft and almost caressing voice to Ruby's ears as she heard the question, "How long have you known Steven?"

Ruby grinned before replying that the girl actually verbally responded to her, "He used to pull my pigtails when he wanted to give me a cookie before recess. We go back… far enough back to remember what he was like before… what he is now."

"What was he like before now?"

She looked down at the cafeteria table and started picking at it with her fingernail as she spoke, "He was this sweet and caring boy who wouldn't think ill will of anyone. He's a smart kid and could put the nerds to shame if he would just care again. He was always happy and it seemed nothing could bring him down."

"Was it just his mother dying? He told me he lost her last year after he figured out my mother passed away," Taylor quickly supplied how she knew that.

Ruby shook her head and some of her raven locks bounced on her shoulder before meeting the brunette's eyes. "They were close, but it's not just that his mother died, but his a… how do I put it? His 'worldview' broke and thus breaking him."

She blinked and gave the paler girl a perplex look. "I can tell he's broken, but I'm not sure what you mean by the other part."

Ruby let out a breath and let her eyes wonder for a moment in trying to figure out how to answer the brunette. "Okay, the way he looked at the world came crashing down on his head. He was raised and thought that everything that happened was for a reason; good or bad, there was a reason behind it. Something akin to God's master plan for the world, but his mother dying caused him to question if there was a purpose to everything happening and a number of things he thought were true. It caused him not to see a point in a lot of things. He went too far in thinking that if everything didn't have a meaning then maybe nothing had a meaning or purpose, so he downward spiraled into what he is now. He's still struggling with the idea that there is meaning and that sometimes shit just happens. I've tried my best not to let him give up completely on life and that some things are important even if others are meaningless or just happened. The only thing he held on to was that truth and honesty was the only things he could count on. That's why he'll never bullshit you. Then you came along and now… I think he'll final find a balance again."

"He's a good man," Taylor insisted.

Ruby let out a small laugh. "I know." After calming her laugh, she looked directly at Taylor and stated, "He'll treat you right the best way he can."

The white bandana wearing girl nodded and in a small quiet voice, Taylor asked, "Do you love him?"

Ruby smiled and without a hint of regret or hesitation, she replied, "Yes, he's my friend and he's always stuck by me through thick and thin, even when I decided to start looking and being 'this'," indicating her pale look, dark locks and dark attire, "I'm not leaving him now. Is our closeness going to be a problem?"

Taylor smiled warmly at the teenager sitting across from her. "No, Steven's a good man. There's nothing else that needs to be said: that's my answer."

"Beautiful and smart, he did well," she replied with a smirk and started laughing.

Taylor joined her warm laughter a moment later.

Steven was walking with Ruby down the hall as they were heading for their last class of the day when he saw three teenagers that he recognized from the other night at the pizza place hassling Barry at his locker.

"I know them," Ruby pointed out to Steven as the pair approached the group. "They annoyed me at lunch on Thursday."

"They did?" he asked with evident concern in his voice.

Before he could say anything else, she replied, "I took care of it. Don't worry about it."

Steven nodded hesitantly and trusted that she was telling the truth and that he didn't have to deal with them on that matter. However, he approached the group and they immediately noticed his presence with Ruby standing a few feet behind him.

"Barry, get on to class. I'll deal with this," Steven instructed with a nod of his head.

Barry nodded his head and grabbed his last book before leaving the group. The group of freshman allowed the boy pass fearing at least for the moment of what Steven could do to them. Steven looked directly at the lead freshman. "I know you; you're that guy that I had got acquainted with the Pak-Rat machine. I'm going to cut to the chase: you will leave Barry Dorfman alone or I will deal with you and then all of your friends right now."

"You don't scare me Shay," he spoke with a hint of fear in his voice.

Steven just smiled at hearing the fear then slammed his palm hard against the locker to the left side of the boy's head. "That's fine, just makes us even when I pound your face into the ground."

The boy looked past Steven's shoulder and smirked. Steven turned slowly to see a teenager about his age and only slightly taller crossing the six foot mark in height and slightly more muscular than Steven. The long haired teenager stepped back from the freshman and approached the sandy blonde hair boy. Another audience had gathered to watch what Steven was going to do again. Steven only had to lift his head slightly to meet the other guy's eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm his big brother. They call me 'Tiny'," he replied with a big grin.

Steven chuckled. "Is that in reference to the size of your dick?"

He growled at the long hair teenager. "I'm going to mess you up and then," he raised his hand and pointed a finger at Ruby, "I'm going to take care of that bitch."

Steven flashed a quick look of utter hatred at 'Tiny' before immediately dropping to one knee and jabbed as hard as he could with his left fist into they guy's crotch.

The slightly taller teenager let out a grunted noise for a moment as he bent over just to see Steven's right fist come up to give him an upper cut. He flung backwards and smacked face first into the hallway floor.

Steven stood up and shook his right hand and hissed, "Damn it. I finally just healed up." After a few moments, Steven looked to Tiny. The boy appeared to be out cold from either the punch or the contact with the ground.

He looked back to the freshman and approached the younger brother of Tiny. "Now, as I was saying: you leave Barry alone, you never bother my friend over there again and never even look at Taylor Dorfman funny again or I and my friends are going to show you why no bothers us at this school. Make sure you pass that on to your brother when he wakes up and tell him if he comes looking for me, I won't fight fair again. Do you understand?"

All three nodded, but the first one answered, "Okay, never going to bother anyone ever again."

"Make sure you don't," Steven whispered coldly.

The three then ran off to wherever they needed to be.

Steven then looked across the gathered students and spoke out in a determined voice with a harsh edge. "Yes, I am dating Taylor Dorfman. She's my girlfriend. She is off limits to your taunts, harassment or anything other dumbass thing you think you can pull on her. They finally let Evan out of the hospital a few days ago and now 'Tiny' here is on the floor, so if any of you have a problem with that, well… you can go fuck yourself."

Surprisingly most of the people there started shaking their heads before going about their business. Steven had gotten his message across loud and clear: do not fuck with him or the Dorfmans.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Shay Apartment  
>Saturday, September 2011<p>

It was early that evening when Freddie stepped out of the elevator into the iCarly studio. He smiled as he caught sight of Carly playing on her violin. He suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu in watching her play her game. Without realizing it, he was clenching and relaxing his right hand and tapping his left foot. It must have been loud enough, because the next moment she turned and smiled at him for a moment before her smile falter.

It was apparent to him that she seemed to have had a similar feeling to what he just had.

"What's wrong?" he whispered his question.

Carly sat her violin down and paused the game, before shaking her head and answering, "I'm just thinking about something."

"That we've been here before?"

Carly swallowed nervously. "I don't want a repeat of that."

Freddie gave her a reassuring smile. "That's not going to happen this time."

"Because we don't have to worry about Sam's foreign bacon?" she asked with a hint of fear and indecision on her part.

Freddie blinked in surprise. The tech producer took in a slow breath and let it out. "She told you about that?" he asked more out of the need to express the question verbally, not for an actual answer.

She rung her hands and looked to the floor for a moment. "Yes, she was concern about how … intimate we were last night."

In a distant and reserved tone, he replied, "I'm not sure what business of that was hers how 'intimate' we are together."

"She was just concern… as she was last time."

Freddie rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure how much of her concern I could take or want from her."

Carly dropped her hands to the side and shook her head. "Why does it have to be like this?"

Freddie blinked and looked to her in shock. "Because she's hated me for the last four years and has taken every opportunity that she can to take it out on me. That's not just going to be wiped way in two weeks. I'm not a saint."

"She doesn't hate you," Carly replied desperately with a shake of her head.

"I thought that once too after her and I shared our first kiss. I thought it was just our way of saying we cared about each other until two weeks later she broke a tennis racket over my head and threw me out of a treehouse, remember? And until early last week, she continually reminded me of how much she's hated me. I tried talking to her that night on the balcony to cut me some slack, but she blew me off and the only reason why she stopped now was because I had to punch her in the face and told her the next time I would fight her."

"I'm sorry about that… I should have said something," she whispered regretfully.

"You're damn right you should have said something! I wasn't allowed to have my own opinion! The damn show came before me in your eyes."

Carly looked down in shame and Freddie closed his eyes as he shook his head. He took a calming breath and opened his eyes. "Okay… I've realized how bitter I am about it now. I don't want to be mad at you or be bitter about it, but I just can't pretend it never happened or everything else she has done to me didn't happen. But I do want you to know that just because we may get upset with one another, doesn't mean we don't care about one another."

"I know and I will never let anything like that happen again," she replied in a soft whisper and met his eyes.

"Neither will I," Freddie replied in cold determination. She nodded knowing they had established something else in their relationship.

"Sam and I will come to a point we can be real friends or we won't. It's all up to her."

"Do you think you two can really be friends?"

"If she continues to treat me like a human being? Yes I do, it's just going to take time. We really are starting from scratch in how to be friends with out the abuse."

The brunette nodded her head. _One step at a time is better than nothing._

She shrugged a shoulder and a half hearted smile. "If you want to, the next show we do you can tell the world you don't think Fred's funny for the entire show."

Freddie let out a therapeutic laugh and shook his head. "We don't have to; plenty of people already know he's not funny. Why do you think he needed Jennette McCurdy to help promote his last movie? He couldn't do it on his own."

She shared in his laugh for a moment before asking, "Do you really think Sam did it to hurt you? About the bacon?"

Freddie calmed down for the moment and replied in a serious, but not bitter tone, "She said the idea of you and I being together made her want to puke up blood; even if she was joking, what a thing to say about your friends. I'd be a fool not to at least consider the possibility that she did it to hurt me thinking back on it, but…"

"What?"

"She wouldn't hurt me if it meant hurting you, so no. I don't think she suggested foreign bacon out of malice." Freddie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I broke up with you because I love you. You have my heart Carly Shay and if I had to do it all again, I would because I want us both to be happy. I would hate to be a person that could ever hurt you intentionally. It would have hurt more if you would have suddenly realized that you didn't love me that way and then where would we have been?"

Carly took a few steps enter his personal space. "I let you walk away once, maybe twice since I couldn't catch you in time, but never again. I got my second chance and I'm not going to let slip it through my fingers."

She started blinking in confusion when he smiled at her. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because we just had our first official fight as a couple and we're still here," he replied with a grin.

Carly blinked at him, but his grin was infectious and soon a grin formed on her face. "I don't think our conversation was necessarily a fight."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "I think it's close enough to one so we have to make up. Don't you think?"

Her smile tuned into a mischievous grin. She wrapped her arms around the back of his head and captured his lips. He grinned into his kiss with her realizing that this was her answer. His hands slipped around to the small of her back. He broke their kiss to start leaving small kisses across her jaw and then down her neck, stopping at her pulse point.

Her breath hitched from the tenderness of his kiss on her neck as if her neck was something delicate and needed to be treated with kid gloves. If she wasn't enjoying the sensation so much, she would probably start crying at the warm and caring that Freddie was trying to communicate to her through his lips. However it wasn't tears, but a smile that formed on her face and she closed her eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair just above his neck. He kissed back up to her chin then her lips once again. She started walking forward until the back of Freddie's feet bumped into one of the beanbag chairs sitting on the floor.

Freddie gently sat down back into one of the beanbag chair and she followed suit, immediately capturing his lips again. It was quickly becoming an awkward lying position for Carly as she and Freddie traded kisses, so she reluctantly pulled away and stood up for a moment so she could then straddled him. She immediately went back to his lips and poured everything she had into the kiss. His fingers grazed the side of her exposed skin at the sides of her abdomen caused by the gap of her ridden up shirt and her jeans.

She felt the familiar pressure against her lower abdomen. Pulled away from the kiss regretfully and pushed up with her hands on his shoulders. She swallowed nervously, but made eye contact. "Freddie, I hate to… interrupt what we're… doing, but we need to talk about—"

He lifted up so his chin rested on her right shoulder and her arms instinctively wrapped around the back of his neck. He whispered in her ear tenderly, "We only have to worry about that if we ever become Mister and Mrs. Benson or I could change my name to Shay if you wanted. Please never feel that you're obligated to do anything. I hope you have the same expectations of me about that."

She pulled back and looked at him in shock. His face displayed his own fear and apprehension. "Okay?"

She gently pulled her right hand from the back of his neck and caressed the side of his face. She felt she was falling again and she prayed that she would fall completely this time and that it would be Freddie to catch her. She nodded and blinked as she felt moister forming in her eyes. The brunette caught his lips again focused on his top lip before moving to his bottom lip. Her tongue grazed his lips and Freddie took that as a symbol to do the same.

They continued to exchange kisses for the next fifteen minutes until Carly pulled away to rest her head on Freddie's left shoulder. She snuggled into his shoulder as he cradled her. She let out a tired breath and her cheeks were flushed from their small expression of their feelings for one another. Freddie noticed that Carly's eyes were becoming heavier and started staying closed longer between blinks. Freddie smiled as he watched her drift off to sleep. Carly started mumbling as sleep finally overcame her, "Row, row, row, your boat…"

* * *

><p>Dorfman Residence<br>Monday, May 1980

Mister Dorfman was reading his newspaper with Barry working on homework in the parlor when Taylor and Steven entered through the front door. Dorfman turned his head at the sound of the teenagers entering. He sat his paper down and got up from his seat to approach the pair as they entered.

"Mister Shay," he greeted with a knowing smile.

"Mister Dorfman," Steven replied with a slight nod of his head.

"You messed up another guy?" the salt and pepper haired man questioned with a smirk.

Steven glanced to Taylor for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and replying, "He had it coming." He looked past Mister Dorfman and to Barry, "Isn't that right Barry?"

"Right!" the lighter brunette shouted happily from his seat. "Thanks Steven."

"No problem bro," Steven waved at him. "Nobody is going to give you any more trouble."

Taylor smirked the laced her fingers with Steven's left hand. "If you'll excuse us daddy, I'd like to spend some time with my boyfriend."

Dorfman raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment.

"See you daddy," she shouted as she pulled Steven along towards the stairs. Steven had a surprised look on his face from her forwardness as they climbed the stairs together.

"Don't have too much fun," he called back as they disappeared up the stairs.

Taylor pulled Steven with her into her sanctuary giggling the entire time. She let go of his hand and turned to face him. "Thank you."

Steven bashfully smiled back as he replied, "I told you I would make sure people would stop bothering Barry."

She tenderly took his right hand and gently glided the pads of her fingertips across his hand. The knuckles looked a little bruised, but the old scabs from last week had fallen off. She did however notice that a few nicks might become scars later. "How's your hand?"

He shrugged his left shoulder and replied with a dismissive tone, "A little sore; it just finally healed up properly."

"I'm sorry about that though," she answered regretfully.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Don't be. It needed to be done."

Taylor smiled up at him before leading him to the sleeping bag then pulled him down by the hand to sit beside her to her right. She took his right hand and started gently massaging it. A few moments later she began, "I talked to Ruby today. She's really very nice. She's a little scary on the outside, but very beautiful inside…."

Steven brief smile played on his lips. "Most people don't know that or understand that under that tough exterior she has, but you are right, she's really a beautiful person under it all. People don't usually take the time to look."

"She loves you," she spoke calmly without any hint of accusation.

Steven took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She's my best friend. I know it's odd that a guy's best friend is a girl who's not his girlfriend or sleeping with her, but that's how it is. Is this going to cause a problem?"

Taylor shook her head slightly and smiled. "No, your friend is your friend."

Steven between chuckles, he asked, "How do you do that? Be so sure and trusting?"

She smiled warmly at him and tapped on his chest right over his heart with a finger. "It is a gift and with that gift I know for certain you are a good and honorable man."

He stopped laughing and just looked at her. He lifted up his left hand combed through the back of her hair. "I am certain about a few things in life: there is right and there is wrong; there is truth and there is falsehood; love is hard, but worth holding on to. I know that I love you even if I don't have it all figured out. This is me Taylor. This is all I have to give you right now."

"I'll take it," she whispered quickly before she leaned over and gently kissed him as her arms slipped around his waist and his arms around to the small of her back. He kissed back in an instant, savoring her taste of a girl that accepted all that he was with open arms. They took their time trading kisses and enjoying the warmth and contact from one another.

A few minutes later, she pulled back and reached over to turn her music box on and the tune of 'Row, Row, Row, Your Boat' started playing. Taylor laid back on the sleeping bag and pulled Steven down lie beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her. Her breathing became softer and peaceful as she closed her eyes. Steven reached up with his free hand and just brushed her hair with his fingers whispering, "Row, row, row, your boat…"

**Author's Note: I hope you have enjoyed this installment. The final installment should be on Friday and after that… another sequel, but no spoilers for that.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: Well this is it people, the final installment of this story. Thank you all for your readership and your reviews. Now on with the story:**

Chapter 21

Carly found herself starting to walk slowly down an unfamiliar school hallway unsure of where or how she got to this place. One moment she was safely in Freddie's arms and now she didn't have any idea of her location. She knew it wasn't Ridgeway and the closest thing she could describe it as was 'old' as something out of the what she had seen in old high school eighties movies: The Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She kept walking down the hall, stopping at every door to look into the window and finding the classroom empty each time. She also tried every door handle, but found each was locked and felt a growing fear in her stomach as each time she failed to open a door. The brunette finally reached the end of the hall and saw a sunlight pouring out of an open doorway.

She stopped at the entrance of the classroom and looked inside. She found a teenager she estimated to be about the same age as she, sitting in front of an easel with a lavender bandana around her head and painting. Carly watched and listened as the girl sung in a familiar voice, "Row, row, row, your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."

She didn't really know what to make of everything, but she did the only thing she could think of: Carly whispered, "Hello."

The teenager turned and looked to Carly in surprise before replying hesitantly, "Hello."

Carly instantly recognized the girl and the web-hostess covered her own mouth in shock.

The painter sat down her paint brush, stood up and looked to Carly. With concern evident in her voice she asked, "Are you alright?"

Carly lowered her hands and nodded her head. "I…"

The bandana wearing girl approached Carly slowly and in the next instance, Carly latched unto her and hugged her for dear life. A moment later, the slightly shorter girl returned the hug and smoothed the Carly's back with one hand. "It's okay," she whispered to Carly.

Carly closed her eyes and held back the tears as her head rested on the girl's right shoulder. This couldn't be real she thought. It had to be a dream like when she danced with all those cute boys, but Carly felt the warmth of the girl and heard the soft heart beat. She felt as real as any other person she could touch and feel.

After a few minutes of just holding on to the girl and she in return stroking her hair and her back in comfort, Carly lifted her head up to look at the brunette.

"Feel better?" she asked with a warm and accepting smile.

Carly lifted a hand and wiped the moisture away from under both her eyes. "Yes, thank you. I'm sorry for just—"

"It's okay. Sometimes we just need someone to hold on to," she answered warmly and gently patted Carly's shoulder.

"Thank you. I'm Carly… it's short for Carlotta."

She smiled brightly back at Carly and replied, "Carlotta? That's a lovely name. Hi Carly, I'm Taylor. It's nice to meet you."

She nodded her head hesitantly. "It's nice to meet you too."

Carly started glancing around the classroom and looked at how it was all set up to be an art classroom. She knew Spencer would get a thrill out of it if he was here. She looked back to Taylor and asked, "Where am I?"

Taylor motioned around. "This is a dream of my high school; I just didn't expect any company."

"I'm dreaming?" she asked with a hint of disappointment.

Taylor blinked and felt the sadness of the other girl, but smiled at the other brunette. "I guess you could say we're both dreaming, but I never thought two people could share a dream."

Carly took a moment to really look at the girl and noticed her attire: she was wearing a white floral dress with purple flowers decorating it and it went down to her mid-thigh, but also wore bell-bottom blue jeans and of course the lavender bandana tied around her head. To Carly, it was a retro, but stylish look.

"Mo—Taylor," she quickly corrected herself, "What's the date?"

"I don't understand," she replied with a genuine perplex look.

"The date, what year is it?"

"It's May, nineteen eighty," she replied with a troubled look.

Carly let out a breath. "I… I'm from two thousand eleven. It's September."

Taylor blinked at that answer. In a calm and to Carly's ears, a comforting voice, Taylor replied, "I guess you're just further down the stream than me."

"The stream?"

"Have you ever heard the nursery song 'Row, Row, Row, Your Boat'?"

Carly blinked. "Yes… my mother used to sing it to me."

"Okay," Taylor replied then led Carly to another easel where a painting of a flowing river was displayed. She picked up clean paintbrush and dabbed it into some white paint. She then quickly drew two boats on two different spots on the river: one further down the river than the other. She then pointed to the one upstream. "That's where I'm at and I guess," she pointed to the other boat downstream, "that is where you are."

"Time? The stream is time?"

Taylor nodded with a smile that comforted Carly in an instant. She realized how much she missed that smile from when she was younger. Taylor continued, "I guess dreaming is a way of talking to people on different boats." Taylor giggled and covered her mouth with a hand.

Carly couldn't help to join her in laughter. After both girls calmed down from their laughter, Carly asked, "So, what are you doing? I'm mean, I know you were painting, but it seems normal for a dream."

"I dream what I do and do what I dream," she replied with a small laugh.

Carly laughed again and replied, "That makes sense." She then let out a calming breath and noticed another portrait. She pointed and asked, "Who's that?"

Taylor grinned happily as she looked at the painting as well. "That's my boyfriend; his name is Steven."

Carly of course recognized the young man even if his image was thirty years younger. He had long hair and style as Spencer did before Grandpa Gibson gave him a haircut. He was also wearing a black leather biker jacket, white T-Shirt and blue jeans. "He's handsome."

"Thank you," she replied with an embarrassing smile. "He's very kind and sweet and do you know what else?"

"What?" she asked as she couldn't help but joined in the other girl's excitement.

Taylor leaned closer to Carly and whispered conspiratorially, "He loves me. He loves me and he doesn't think I'm odd. He said I was extraordinarily unique."

Carly felt a warmth in her chest and smiled bigger as she could feel the happiness seemingly roll off of the other girl. Carly looked back to the picture. "Kind of looks like a bad boy," Carly commented with a smirk.

Taylor looked away embarrassed.

"So you like the bad boys?" Carly picked at her.

Taylor blushed and looked down at the floor.

"I used to like them too. I think I got it from my mother," she replied with a laugh.

Taylor joined in her laughter. "I think my mom did too. My dad use to be in the Air Force and a fighter pilot."

Carly bit her lip to hold back her laughter before replying, "My dad used to be a fighter pilot in the Air Force too, but he's still in it."

"What a coincidence?"

"Yeah, a coincidence," Carly replied with a knowing smile.

Taylor offered a seat from one of the stools in front of some of the paintings and the web-hostess graciously took a seat beside the artist.

"You're quite good," Carly commented idly.

"Thank you," she replied in a bashful tone.

Taylor turned to look at her and asked, "Do you have someone special?"

Carly smiled and nodded. "Yes, his name is Freddie. I wish I had a picture to show you."

Taylor laughed. "Well this is a dream, maybe you have a picture?"

Carly furled her eyebrows and out of instinct reached into her pocket and was surprised to find a picture. She pulled it out and found that it was a headshot of Freddie. She handed it to the other brunette and she took the picture to examine it closely.

"He's really handsome. Is he nice?"

"He's very nice. He loves me."

"He does? I know how nice that can be."

"It's… it's wonderful. He loves me so much that he broke up with me one time."

Taylor's brow furled in confusion. "I don't understand?"

"He's always loved me since the day we met, but I never returned the feelings. One day I was crossing a road and didn't see a truck coming at me. He dashed out and pushed me out of the way and the truck hit him."

Taylor covered his mouth. She mumbled through her hands. "Oh my God."

Carly continued and as she spoke, her tone became sadder, "He broke his leg and his right hand kind of got smashed, but he's alright now. He saved my life. I guess I was so grateful that I just went for it and we started dating after that, but he realized that I really didn't love him like he loved me. He broke up with me, because he wanted us to both be happy. He said after the casts came off and I still wanted to be his girlfriend, he'd love that."

Taylor's eyes fell and gave a slight frown. She reached over and patted Carly's hand. "So what happened?"

"He stayed one of my best friends and for a year and I didn't say anything. My father told me I finally had to give Freddie a chance or let him go find someone to that could make him happy."

"What did you do?"

Carly looked down and tried to start ringing her hands, but Taylor gave her a comforting squeeze. "I let him go and that was the worst decision I have ever made, but Freddie gave me a second chance to fall in love with him, so we're together now."

Taylor smiled hopefully. "Do you love him now?"

Carly shook her head. "I keep asking myself that question, but the answer seems so out of reach. I care about him deeply and I'd never want to be apart from him. I keep having this feeling at times as if I'm falling and I felt it just before I fell asleep. I just want—"

"Him to catch you?"

Carly looked up with a look of complete shock at the artist.

Taylor swallowed nervously, "If I may… if say… my daughter was in a similar situation one day… I would tell her to let herself fall and if she felt the same way you just described, I'd tell her don't be afraid to tell him she loves him every chance she gets, because I don't know of a better definition of love than what you feel and want from him."

Carly blinked and let the moisture from in her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks. Taylor pulled her into a hug and Carly latched onto her. "Shhh… it's okay… everything is going to be okay."

"I love him?"

Taylor smiled as the other girl rested her head on her shoulder.

"I love him," Carly repeated this time with a little more confidence. "I love him," she repeated this time with a smile and the tears turned to ones of joy with a feeling of warmth and contentment overcoming her. She lifted her head off of Taylor's shoulder and the other girl pulled out a white handkerchief from the pocket of her dress to wipe away the tears of the brunette.

"Thank you," Carly whispered quietly as Taylor finished wiping her cheeks.

"You're welcome my little Carlotta," she whispered lovingly.

Carly tried to speak, but Taylor was quicker in a kind tone, "You have your grandmother's eyes."

Carly knew it was now or never, so… "I love you mom."

Taylor gave her a bright smile and let her dimples show and ran her fingers through some of Carly's hair to brush some behind her ear. "I love you too my little one."

"Carly?" a voice that seemed to call out from everywhere and nowhere.

In a sad and disheartening tone, Carly whispered, "I think I'm going to wake up now."

"It's okay. It was so nice to see you," she reassured the slightly taller teenager.

Carly latched onto Taylor and hugged her one last time. Taylor smiled and patted her back and whispered, "I'll see you again."

Carly held back the tears. "You will, I promise."

* * *

><p>A pain of fear stabbed at Freddie's chest thinking Carly was having a nightmare at seeing her crying, so he tried to gently wake her up, "Carly?"<p>

Carly blinked open her eyes and realized that her tears were blurring her vision. "Freddie?" she questioned seeing his blurred form.

"I'm right here," he whispered reassuringly.

She lifted up and grabbed him by the cheeks and the back of the head where her fingers ran through his hair and kissed him with everything she had: her joy, pain, anger, contentment, and her love. He was surprised, but kissed back a moment later. She pulled back and looked directly into eyes with only sparing a moment to wipe her eyes. "Freddie?"

"Yes?" he asked in concern.

Her lips hinted at a smile as she answered, "I love you."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Shay Apartment  
>Saturday, September 2011<p>

He blinked and asked, "You what?" He held her shoulders gently as she looked back with a content look on her face even as the tears started rolling down her cheeks again, "I love you and please never doubt that."

"You love me?" He hated to doubt her, but hearing her say what he understandably was a huge step for her was unbelievable to his ears.

She nodded desperately. "I get now. I do. I love you and I mean it the same way as you do. I want to fall and you always be there to catch me. I don't want you to ever leave my side and I don't want anyone else. I just don't need you Freddie, I want you."

Freddie let out a surprised breath and grinned from ear to ear. After years of waiting and hoping and praying that she would say that to him, it finally happened and the look in Carly's eye left no doubt that she meant it. He replied a few moments later, "I love you Carly Shay. You have my heart and will always have it."

She smiled warmly. "I love you too Freddie Benson and you have mine." She kissed him even as her happy tears continued to flow and he held her as if she was the most precious thing in the world and to him, she was."

Carly wasn't the only one to get a second chance at love and he couldn't have been more psyched about it.

Dorfman Residence  
>May 1980<p>

Taylor began to stir from her sleep as Steven rolled to his side to look down at her. He had just watched her as the pair laid on the sleeping bag. "Hey sleepy head; decided to take a nap?"

Taylor rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and blinked them open. Once she saw Steven's smiling down at her, she smiled back up at him. "Yes I did. I had an interesting and wonderful dream. Remind me to tell you about it one day."

Steven just grinned and nodded his head. "Okay, I will."

"Steven?" she asked in a curious tone.

"Yes?"

In a soft whisper, Taylor said, "I know I haven't said it yet, but I love you."

Steven smiled down at her and whispered back, "I love you too Taylor." He then kissed her forehead. "I'm going to love best the way I know how."

She stroked his cheek and whispered, "So give me your best and leave the rest to me. Leave it all to me. Just leave it all to me Steven."

He grinned and dipped his head to exchange their love with their lips again. Taylor ran her fingers behind his neck and into his hair. She knew she was going to spend the rest of her life with this man starting today… however long her life may be… and she couldn't have been happier.

Shay Apartment  
>Friday, September 2011<p>

"Now I'm missing my other eyebrow!" Gibby shouted as he headed out of the studio. He passed Colonel Shay with a glance after he exited the glass door to the studio as he was standing behind the door watching the show. Shay held back a smirk as he turned his attention back to the show.

Sam in an excited tone and doing a little giggle with her feet announced, "Well that does it for this iCarly, but before we go, Carly has something to say."

"Thank you Sam," Carly giggled in response. "I know some of you have been asking about mine and Freddie's date last Friday and I know someone," Carly paused to look at the blonde standing beside her, "posted about it on the Creddie Fan Forum."

Sam held up her hands in surrender and smirked. "It's that One Horse Shay guy who posted that on the Creddie Forum; don't look at me. Mama is innocent; I would have posted the deets."

Carly eyed her with a half smirk. "Right…" She looked back to Freddie holding the camera. "I know you're curious and I know you support us, but what happens between me and Freddie is between the two of us. Could you please respect our privacy?" She then gave her puppy dog look, "Please, for me?"

"But it's true, Carly and Freddie are deeply in love!" Sam shouted with laughter. Carly eyed her for just a moment before looking back to the camera. She nodded with a smile, "It's true, we are deeply in love and I wouldn't want it any other way."

Shay looked through the glass door watching the trio finish up the show. Someone had to be blind not to see the love that the two brunettes shared with one another as they exchanged eye contact and laughter. Shay smiled and whispered to himself, "So give me your best and leave the rest to me… leave it all to me… just leave it all to me."

End Credits

T-Bo was sitting on the Shay couch with Taylor Dorfman sitting beside him. The end credits began to roll to their left.

Special Guest Appearance by Joe Flanigan as Colonel Steven Shay

Taylor spoke at, well you. "The story of my daughter and Mister Freddie Benson isn't over yet. Stay turned for their next story."

Special Guest Star Ariana Grande as Taylor Faye Dorfman

T-Bo then spoke up: "But once you're done reading this, head on over to Snapplelinz's fine stories on . So go check them out."

Guest Starring Robbie Amell as Seventeen year old Steven Shay

Taylor continued, "I approve of Snapplelinz's stories about my daughter. They are quite respectful of her and good. Don't forget to visit my daughter and her friend's site at for their latest web clips and blog postings." She then turned her head to look at T-Bo. "I love your bandana," Taylor commented with a smile as she patted her own bandana covered head.

"Thank you," he replied with a silly grin. "Yours is gorgeous as well."

Special Guest Star Ashley Argota as Kathy

Taylor giggled. "Thank you Mr. Bo." Taylor turned back to look at well… the reader and grinned, "And remember, just leave it all to me."

**Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Yes, there will be another sequel that I hope to start posting on Monday, good old Labor Day in the United States. Thank you all for reading and especially those that reviewed (in no particular order): Boris Yeltsin, , ProjectNICK, Annilein, WyldCard4, GirlCat817, and justshine09.**

**Of course I have to thank the one and only Snapplelinz that has help me beyond words in my writing. I'm mean it, listen to Taylor, go check out some of her stories and leave some reviews.  
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